Global industrialisation affecting developing countries

Global industrialization, particularly international trade affecting developing countries such as Ghana, are said to have caused increased human and economic activities that tend to impact negatively on their environment. Such impacts have created huge environmental problems of water, air, land and ecosystem pollution that confront governments. These no doubt require mitigating solutions. Recent studies supported by research, technology and policy development show that not much sustainable efforts by governments to control environmental problems have been successful in many developing economies. With this global picture in view, the First International Conference on Environmental Research, Technology and Policy, (ERTEP) 2007 is to be held in Ghana from July 16 to 19 2007. The University of Western Ontario, Canada, ERTEP 2007 International Organizing Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment are organizing the conference which is under the theme, “Building Tools and Capacity for Sustainable Development”. The organizers say the objective is to create a forum to discuss the challenges, risks and opportunities that concern many of the world’s vulnerable groups’ livelihood and in many cases survival. Proposed topics to be treated at the conference include environmental, health and safety management, forestry and mining environment and the integration of gender in environmental management. Participants will include researchers, consultants, engineers, scientists, non-governmental organizations and policy makers to formulate means to protect fragile ecosystems. The Deputy Minister of Local Government, rural Development and Environment, Mr. Abraham Dwuma Odoom launched ERTEP 2007 on behalf of the sector minister, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng. He noted, “Our own growth and poverty reduction strategy highlights the dependence of development and poverty reduction on prudent environmental management.” He added that the integration of ecosystems of environment and development can lead to the fulfillment of basic needs, improved standards of living for all, better protected and managed ecosystems towards the attainment of a safer and more prosperous future.Delivering a presentation on Environmental research, technology and policy, a former Deputy Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, (CSIR), Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, cited soil infertility, degradation, pollution and industrial waste as of the environmental issues confronting Ghana. Prof. Oteng-Yeboah charged government to make issues on environment top priority and take effective decision on environmental governance based on hard core science and available technology.