Ghana-China Climate Summit Pushes Green Transition

 By Shine Esi Kwawukumey 

Ghana’s vulnerability to climate change is deepening, from destructive floods to erratic rainfall patterns that threaten food security.

Accra played host to a landmark dialogue on climate action on September 16, 2025, as policymakers, financiers, academics, and youth gathered at the AfCFTA Secretariat for the Ghana-China Climate Summit 2025. 

The event, organized by the Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory with support from the African Climate Foundation and Sino Africa, focused on strengthening partnerships for climate finance and resilience in Ghana.

Speakers emphasized that addressing these threats requires not only global cooperation but also strong domestic responsibility.

Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa, reaffirmed Beijing’s pledge to support Africa’s green transition through climate finance and technology transfer.

“China has established two major funds to support climate action the South-South Cooperation Fund for Climate Change, valued at about US$3 billion, and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, worth US$4 billion,” the Ambassador said. 

He noted that while China is playing its part, “developed countries, who are historically the biggest emitters, must also honor their US$100 billion climate finance commitments.”

The Ambassador also pointed to China’s green innovations, highlighting that “over 40 percent of cars in major Chinese cities now run on electricity,” as evidence of the country’s determination to lead a global transition to clean energy.

The Bank of Ghana underscored the direct impact of climate change on Ghana’s financial system.

“Climate change poses an emerging risk to financial stability by aggravating existing vulnerabilities in the banking sector,” said Mrs. Allswell Abankwa, head of Bank of Ghana's Climate and Sustainability Office.

She outlined steps taken by the central bank, including the Sustainable Banking Principles launched in 2019 and the Climate-Related Financial Risk Directive introduced in 2024.

Compliance among banks, she revealed, had jumped from 42 percent in 2021 to over 73 percent in 2025.

“We are building a resilient financial system that can withstand shocks while directing capital toward sustainable projects,” she stressed, urging Chinese financial institutions to complement Ghana’s green finance taxonomy by investing in solar energy, electric vehicles, and concessional loans for startups.

From an entrepreneurial perspective, climate finance is not only about survival but also opportunity. 

Professor Gordon Kwesi Adomdza, Executive Director of CEIBS Africa, emphasized that climate financing can serve as “a catalyst for innovation.”

“Entrepreneurs must see resilience, adaptation, and mitigation not as obstacles but as new markets,” he explained. 

“From irrigation systems powered by solar energy to afforestation projects tied to the carbon market, there are vast opportunities. 

The challenge is that many innovators are unaware of available climate funds or the requirements to access them.”

A passionate call for youth inclusion echoed through the summit. 

Mabel Laryea, Project Coordinator of the Green Africa Youth Organization, challenged policymakers and financiers to break down barriers that exclude young innovators.

“Young people are turning plastic into tiles, waste into compost, and glass into building blocks,” she said. 

“Yet bureaucracy, lack of access to funding, and limited recognition mean most of these initiatives struggle to survive. 

How can we build a future without financing the ideas of the very people who will live in it?”

She proposed the creation of a dedicated Ghana Climate Fund for youth innovators, alongside knowledge exchange programmes with China to equip young Ghanaians with practical skills in renewable energy and green jobs.

While the summit showcased bold commitments, it also highlighted fragmentation in Ghana’s climate finance architecture. 

Professor Adomdza cautioned against political discontinuity and siloed ministries, warning that “even the best policies lose impact if not aligned across sectors.”

Ambassador Defa assured participants that China is keen on moving from policy to practice. 

“Through training opportunities, technology transfer, and direct project partnerships, we are ensuring that climate commitments translate into real change,” he said, citing China’s support for solar and wind projects across Africa.

The Ghana-China Climate Summit 2025 closed with consensus that addressing climate change requires shared responsibility, innovative financing, and the empowerment of youth. 

Ghana’s financial sector pledged to consolidate frameworks for green finance, while Chinese stakeholders reiterated their readiness to invest and share technology.

Ultimately, the message was clear: Ghana cannot afford to treat climate change as tomorrow’s problem. 

As Mrs. Abankwa noted, “Sustainability is no longer a side issue, it is central to financial stability, national development, and our survival as a people.”