UNGA: Ghana’s President Says the World is Losing the Battle Against Climate Change
New York, Sept. 25, 2025 – Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, has warned that the world is “fighting a losing battle” against climate change while addressing global leaders at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In his speech on Thursday, President Mahama stated that the planet is under siege from rising sea levels, desertification, and deforestation.
He said, “Climate change is real, and we are losing the battle against the disappearance of the Maldives and other island nations due to rising sea levels, the desertification of Timbuktu, and the devastation of the Amazon Rainforest caused by global warming and deforestation.”
The President emphasised the urgent need for reforms to strengthen global action, pointing out that outdated structures in multilateral institutions are impeding the fight against climate change. He also reiterated Africa’s demand for a permanent seat with veto power on the UN Security Council.
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s efforts to stabilise its economy through his “Resetting Ghana Agenda” but insisted that Africa cannot tackle the climate crisis alone without global solidarity.
Migration
In addressing the global migration debate, President Mahama called for fairness and urged world leaders to stop viewing migrants from the Global South as a burden.
He reminded the Assembly that many migrants are displaced by climate change and conflicts, often stemming from inequalities in global resource use.
“When leaders of Western nations complain about their migration issues, they are often referring to immigrants from the Global South. Many of these migrants are climate refugees. Interestingly, the Global North emits 75% more greenhouse gases than the Global South,” he noted.
“However, the effects of climate change are more severe in the Global South because we lack the resources to address them effectively. When desertification encroaches and our villages become uninhabitable, we are forced to flee.”
Quoting Somali-British poet Warsan Shire, he highlighted the desperation behind migration: “No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.”
President Mahama also celebrated the contributions of Ghanaian migrants abroad, such as Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong in the United States and Dr. Peter Bossman, the first Black mayor in Slovenia.
“These are not invaders or criminals,” he told the Assembly. “These are individuals who have brought great distinction to the countries they call home.”
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