Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has called for a fundamental change in how societies manage natural resources, arguing that the fight against climate change and environmental degradation cannot succeed if governments and citizens continue with the same practices that have contributed to current environmental challenges.
Speaking at the World Environment Day 2026 National and African Climate Dialogue, Dr Kokofu said environmental governance has evolved over time and now demands a stronger commitment to sustainability.
According to him, the world has moved through different stages of environmental thinking, beginning with preservation and later conservation, before arriving at the current focus on sustainability.
“On the issue of environmental governance globally, we’ve had an old order of colonialism that transcended into protectionism and then conservationism. Even before conservationism was preservationism. Now we are in the era of sustainability,” he said.
He explained that sustainability requires responsible management of both renewable and non-renewable resources to ensure they remain available for future generations.
Dr Kokofu argued that meaningful progress would only come when individuals, communities and institutions embrace new approaches to environmental protection.
“We cannot, as a people, continue to do what we’re doing every day at the same time and achieve any better results,” he stated.
He said the annual observance of World Environment Day serves as an important reminder of the need for collective action to protect the natural environment, noting that human survival is closely linked to the health of ecosystems.
“Our basic and fundamental survival on this earth depends on what goes around us, what is around us, our river bodies, our soils, the quality of the air,” he said.
The former EPA boss stressed that environmental protection should not be left to governments and experts alone, insisting that everyone has a role to play.
“This is not a time to leave anybody behind. We have got to be on board,” he said.
Dr Kokofu also renewed his call for environmental education to begin at an early age, saying young people must be equipped with the knowledge and values needed to protect the environment.
“I’ve always advocated for catching them young in this environmental protection and environmental management conversation,” he added.
While acknowledging that climate change discussions were once dominated by scientific debates, he said the evidence is now undeniable and requires immediate action.
“The effects of climate change are so real and open and it’s happening right in front of all of us to the extent that we cannot ignore the catastrophes any longer,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to focus on practical solutions through adaptation and mitigation measures, noting that the global conversation has shifted from understanding climate change to implementing actions that address its effects.
“The world has moved on over the years from science to action, what really needs to be done,” he said.
Dr Kokofu expressed hope that discussions at the World Environment Day 2026 National and African Climate Dialogue would equip participants with the knowledge needed to confront climate change and environmental degradation in their respective communities.
