Ghana National Climate Change Policy

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-0 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 1.0 Introduction and Purpose of the National resources, land, fisheries and forestry. Climate Change Policy Ghana, as signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention 1.1 Overview on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has been involved in a number of activities aimed at addressing the climate change challenge. A Climate change has become one of the biggest challenges of this number of initiatives are on-going and need to be effectively century, and as a global challenge it requires global solutions. The coordinated, in order to derive the maximum benefits and synergy to threat of climate change is multidimensional and its impacts support the national development agenda as well as reduce risk and transcend national borders. Projections by the Intergovernmental vulnerability of Ghanaians to climate events. Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that if emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise at their current pace, the world This document, the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), is will be faced with a disastrous future in the form of sea-level rise, Ghana’s integrated response to climate change. It has been prepared shifts in growing seasons, biodiversity loss, as well as increased and designed within the context of national sustainable development frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heat priorities, including achieving the objectives of the Ghana Shared waves, storms, floods and droughts. Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) 2010–2013. It provides a clearly defined pathway for dealing with the challenges Developing countries, particularly those in Africa, and generally the of climate change within the socio-economic context of Ghana. poor and marginalised, will be those most affected, even though the During its implementation, the NCCP will also aim to achieve largest share of historical and current global emissions of effective coordination of all climate-related initiatives. greenhouse gases originated in developed countries. The economy of Ghana is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its impact on Ghana’s policy response to climate change is in three phases: key sectors such as health, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, water  The NCCP presents the policy, analyses the current situation, and gives the broad policy vision and objectives; Climate Change – A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global  Phase two will present in greater detail the initiatives and atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability programmes identified in the NCCP in the form of an action observed over comparable time periods (UNFCCC, Article 1) programme for implementation; and Adaptation – Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or Phase three will detail how climate change programmes and actions exploits beneficial opportunities identified in phase two can be mainstreamed and embedded, in a time-bound and budgeted manner, in the annual work plans of Mitigation – A human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases implementing units. Social development – Process of planned social change designed to promote the well-being of the population as a whole in conjunction with a dynamic process of economic development

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-1 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 1.1.1 Climate Change and its Manifestations natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable (forests, wildlife, coastal wetlands, rivers and lakes, minerals, crude oil, etc.) Ghana is situated in one of the world’s most complex climatic which play an important role in the development of the country. The regions, affected by tropical storms, and the influence of the Atlantic economic development of the nation also requires efficient systems Ocean and the Sahel. The debate on likely climate change scenarios that can support domestic, commercial and industrial activities, such is recognized by this policy document. Various models and as buildings, energy, telecommunications, transport, water and projections have shown conclusions that vary enormously, which sanitation infrastructure, and social services such as education, creates real uncertainty about the future scale and impact of climate health and recreation. change. There is, therefore, a pressing need for more reliable and current data. Nevertheless, there are consistently clear signs of climate change that confirm Ghana’s vulnerability. Conservative Climate Scenarios for Ghana Clear signals of warming: An increase of 1°C has been observed over the past 40 years (1960–2000). Projected estimates of average temperature rise are 0.6°C, 2.0°C, and 3.9°C by the year 2020, 2050 and 2080, respectively. Uncertain rainfall: Precipitation may increase, or is most likely to decrease. Sand bag water harvesting Source: MEST/EPA Source: Ben Ampomah Several areas of concern have been indicated for potential impacts There are direct health implications for communities and ecosystems of the direct manifestations of climate change in Ghana. These with extreme air temperatures and increased air pollution. Climate include increased temperatures; rainfall variability, including change projections indicate potential changes in terrestrial and unpredictable and extreme events; sea-level rise; and increasing aquatic ecosystems, affecting natural resources and associated greenhouse gas emissions and loss of carbon sinks. productivity, which has an indirect impact on the livelihoods and food security of communities. These changes also influence vector- Each of these climate change manifestations has the potential to borne infections, with significant increases in the incidence of have a direct and indirect impact on the dynamics of three key climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria, diarrhoeal diseases and elements of a growing nation — human communities, natural meningitis. resources, and infrastructure. Ghana is endowed with abundant

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-2 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Infrastructure not built to handle the increasing ambient air Rainfall: Generally, rainfall in Ghana decreases from south to north. temperatures will not perform as designed. From the 40-year dataset, rainfall levels generally have been reducing with the rainfall patterns becoming increasingly erratic in Temperature: The analysis of national data (1960–2000) shows a all ecological zones in Ghana. The changing rainfall patterns can progressive rise in temperature and decrease in mean annual rainfall result in lower total precipitation per annum, with torrential rains in all agro-ecological zones in Ghana. The average rate of increase and extreme events resulting in storm damage and flooding. in temperature has been 0.21°C per decade, with a more rapid increase in the northern regions of the country. Conservative With less predictable weather, uncertain and heavy storms are more estimates show increases of 1.7°C to 2.04°C by 2030 in the northern likely, with risks to people, communities and ecosystems. The savanna regions, with average temperatures rising as high as 41°C. decrease in rainfall and its unpredictability are likely to jeopardize A 2°C rise in temperature is significant because it would be greater the employment of about 60% of the active population, the majority than any century time-scale trend over the past 10,000 years with an of whom are small-scale rural farmers. Increased water stress will unprecedented impact on life. also reduce the availability of water for consumptive use, as well as non-consumptive such as hydropower generation. Sea level rise: Scenarios of climate change development for the first National Communication (under the UNFCCC Country Studies Project) have shown a sea level rise of 2.1 mm per year over the last 40 years in Ghana, with potential increases of 5.8 cm, 16.5 cm and 34.5 cm by 2020, 2050 and 2080, respectively. This will affect many communities within the 30 metre contour of the national coastal zone, where more than 25% of the population lives. Ghana’s coastal zone is pivotal to the economy, with five large cities and significant physical infrastructure situated here. The coastal areas are already extremely vulnerable to flooding and erosion. Erosion, submergence and sea water intrusion will lead to the loss of economic, ecological, cultural and subsistence values through loss of land, infrastructure, and coastal habitats. Sea level rise and changes in freshwater inflows could affect the habitats and biodiversity of coastal and marine ecosystems. Coastal and offshore gas, oil and electricity infrastructure is at risk of experiencing significant damage and increased shut-down periods from an increased frequency of storm surges, flooding and high tide wave events. Source: Ghana Second Communication to the UNFCCC

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-3 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Greenhouse Gas Emissions: According to the 2006 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, Ghana was a carbon sink until the mid 1990s, with carbon absorbed by the country’s forests and rangelands. The growing population and economy resulted in GHG emissions increasing to about 24 mega-tonnes CO2 eq. (2006 figures) – the equivalent of about 1.1 tonnes (t) CO2 eq. per person, which is comparatively low globally (e.g., the USA emits over 20 t CO2 eq. per person). Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ghana Source: Ghana Second Communication to the UNFCCC Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2 eq) A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse systems, results in the emission of unnecessary amounts of GHGs, gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Carbon dioxide thereby increasing total national emissions. equivalents are commonly expressed as mega tons (millions of tons) of carbon dioxide equivalents. Source: US EPA 1.1.2 Why Climate Change Matters to Ghana Ghana has moved from a Low Income to a Lower Middle Income country (as defined by the World Bank) and is both high-growth and Emissions from the energy and transport sectors represent the fastest energy-hungry. It has been recognized, however, that climate change growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. With a growing rural and the cost of the climate change response is a serious threat to this and urban population, associated energy requirements will lead to an progress. There is already evidence of the impact of climate change increased use of wood fuels, electricity and oil products, the main on the national economy, with clear signs that the coastal zone, energy sources in Ghana. The persistent exploitation and conversion agriculture and water resources are all affected, as are health and of forests, land and wetland ecosystems to other uses will contribute livelihoods, especially for women, resulting in increasing levels of to net atmospheric GHGs emission due to biomass burning and the poverty. It is already affecting national economic output and, loss of carbon sinks. The inefficiency of infrastructure associated therefore, Ghana’s long-term development prospects. with energy and industrial processes, especially energy conversion

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-4 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 The nation is particularly vulnerable to climate change and variability due to reliance on sectors that are sensitive to climate change, such as agriculture, forestry and energy production. Ghana’s climate is already difficult to predict and the country can expect more intense weather events, such as torrential rains, excessive heat and severe dry winds as a result of climate change. Each weather event results in a setback to national development. The 2008 national sectoral climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessments revealed the substantial impact of climate change on the national economy. Flooding, for example is an obvious and immediate threat to economic growth, energy supply, roads and transport, food and agriculture, education, health, water and sanitation, and social protection. June 2010 floods: Storm drain at Jerico, Ashaiman The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) responds to flooding disasters every year. The June 2010 floods demonstrated how climate change can reverse development investments, with a total of 24 deaths, more than a 1,000 homes destroyed, millions of dollars in property losses, 5,000 people evacuated in Tema, and the collapse of a bridge linking Ghana and neighbouring Togo, cutting off travel between the two West African countries. The shortening of the growing season also has a severe impact on food security in areas which practise rain-fed agriculture. Lower agricultural productivity from extended dry seasons and flooding from storm events are also increasing the pressure on the young and mobile in the north to migrate to the south. Migrants arriving in the cities, many of them young women who make a precarious living as June 2010 floods: Flood victims in Tema Community 5 salvaging property porters (kayayei), are exposed to new vulnerabilities on the streets Source: PYO Amoako and add to the pressure on existing, over-stretched, urban services.

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-5 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Ghana has made significant progress on reducing levels of poverty Ghana Government responses to reduce vulnerability of in recent decades. However, poverty persists in the north, rural areas high-risk communities — the example of SADA and in urban slums, and it is these poorest and most vulnerable groups who bear the brunt of climate change. It is recognized that The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) people experience and respond to climate shocks in various ways has the vision of “creating a forested and green North by 2030, across diverse socio-economic groups, geographic locations and doubling the incomes of Northern Ghanaians and reducing the seasons of the year, with men, women and children all experiencing incidence of poverty in the Northern Savannah Ecological Belt different levels of hardship and opportunity in the face of climate to less than 20% within 20 years”. change. This is a dynamic situation, with some people moving up and down a poverty “ladder” as their circumstances change. SADA promises to be instrumental in mobilizing private sector The north-south divide in terms of assets and vulnerability is businesses to take advantage of the investment incentives and exacerbated by climatic stress in northern regions where opportunities offered by SADA to get involved in a new temperatures are already relatively high. As a result, policy orientation of the value-chain. Investments in agriculture, agro- responses to climate change need to look beyond income processing, tourism, mining and services are expected to measurements to capture the full picture of vulnerability which ensure that more than 90% of the jobs created will be long- includes, for example, children being pulled out of school when term, sustainable employment, especially for the youth. times are hard or choices between household expenditure on essential services such as water increasing to the detriment of Northern Ghana has been noted for poverty-induced violent preventative health care. conflict for many years. The SADA strategy makes peace and conflict avoidance a cardinal pre-condition for sustainable As a net emitter of greenhouse gases, Ghana is now at a transition development in the area. point. Economic growth still necessitates modernization, particularly in the agricultural sector. This requires a huge investment in Given the uncertainty around climate change, any policy must infrastructure and will further increase demand for energy, which prepare for a range of possible futures. The National Climate will result in higher emissions. There is persistent poverty in some Change Policy recognises this and also the fact that the nation areas and among particular groups which needs to be addressed cannot afford to wait for certainty before taking action. through development and growth. This growth can tap into the substantial potential offered by emerging oil and gas industries but Policy decisions, therefore, need to be robust enough to withstand at the expense of increased emissions. The development path many different climate change scenarios. These decisions must be options that will be chosen will set the direction for decades, if not backed by hard evidence that would lead to a comprehensive options generations, to come. assessment and effective implementation. All decisions need to be supported by robust monitoring and reporting systems.

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-6 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 The concerns on the potential results of climate change include: Opportunities and synergies resulting from climate change actions • The impact on agriculture, with reduced yields leading to more poverty and food insecurity (including the possibility of There are many opportunities for the private sector and industry to benefit from addressing climate change. These include: famine), and the loss of national revenue from cash crops such as cocoa; o Product and service innovation and diversity • Severe impacts on land use, leading to loss of biodiversity and o Technology adaptation and access soil fertility, land degradation and increased deforestation which would all contribute to loss of ecosystem services; Value Chain Financing and Insurance • Deteriorating health as a result of increased incidence of o Business capacity-building and market integration disease and reduced access to water and food compounded by o Contract farming and outgrower schemes disruption of the delivery of health services, e.g., flooding of o Technical capacity in market norms and standards health facilities, and the loss of transport infrastructure; o Commodity exchanges and active futures markets o Market information and access • Water scarcity causing increased pressure on water and o Infrastructural investment reducing the potential for hydropower; o Agricultural insurance • The impact on women and the girl child, who are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, given their higher Energy Generation, Saving and Efficiency levels of poverty and their responsibilities for obtaining o Waste to energy by pyrolysis household water, food and fuel; o Gas capture from landfills • Increased rural-urban migration that will add to the pressure on o Renewable energy technology, equipment and services cities and urban services. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle It is also recognised that climate change can present new o Metals o Plastics opportunities. New international mechanisms of support are o Building materials emerging to safeguard the delivery of national development o Materials in Transition (MINT) objectives in the face of climate change. These opportunities must o Appropriate handing of e-waste be seized to enhance economic and social progress.

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-7 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 1.2 The Development, Vision and Guiding Principles The Government of Ghana sees response to climate change as part to address Climate Change of its development agenda, recognising that climate change must be mainstreamed into policies and all sectoral activities in order to 1.2.1 The Process achieve sustainable national growth. The National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) was developed from the National Climate Change Policy Framework (NCCPF): Ghana Goes for Green Growth (G4) discussion document. The G4 document has already been accepted by Cabinet and has been subjected to extensive stakeholder consultation in both the northern and southern sectors of the country over a two-year period. Thousands of Ghanaians through a national stakeholders workshop, non-governmental and civil society organizations (NGOs/CSOs), the traditional authorities, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Members of Parliament (MPs) as well as high-level experts all made contributions to the G4 document and the draft NCCP. The NCCP complements and enhances the overall strategic objectives of national development strategies, including the GSGDA 2011–2013, which is to foster high and equitable levels of growth going towards enhanced middle income status as well as the National Budget-setting process. 1.2.2 Vision Climate Compatible Growth The vision of the National Climate Change Policy is to: Source: CDKN The NCCP provides for the necessary actions on adaptation and social equity that are needed for national development, to support Ghana in harnessing the opportunities from low carbon growth, Ensure a climate-resilient and climate-compatible economy and to integrate climate change into the main planning and while achieving sustainable development through equitable budgeting processes at the national, regional, district as well as low-carbon economic growth for Ghana the sector Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) operational levels.

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-8 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 The NCCP promotes the understanding of climate change issues • Improve knowledge and understanding of climate change among policymakers and implementers across all sectors. This issues in order to obtain broad-based support for, and helps to integrate the climate change agenda into policies and participation in, climate change activities; interventions at all levels and across the high risk sectors. The Ensure that systematic research and observation on climate- • Government wants every part of the economy to be part of a change-related factors is conducted in order to improve national solution to the challenges of climate change, recognising forecasting and to supply the necessary planning and response that climate change is a development issue. measures; • Provide appropriate mechanisms to minimize national The NCCP projects the delivery of Ghana’s vision of a climate contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions; resilient and climate compatible economy ― a green economy that would take advantage of the opportunities presented in addressing climate change while, simultaneously, reducing the impact of climate change on the people of Ghana. Specifically, it fosters the development of processes, plans, strategies and approaches that: • Promote climate-resilient and low-carbon economic growth that is compatible with, and integrated into, national development planning and national budget-setting processes; • Raise the awareness of decision makers on the management of climate change impacts, backed by accurate, timely and relevant information; • Link and harmonise existing climate change initiatives and Timber from illegal chainsaw loggers seized by the Forestry Commission opportunities; Source: C.Gordon • Provide a policy and mechanisms for implementation and • Avoid, minimise or adapt to the negative impacts of climate financing that allow the building of detailed implementation change on the natural environment including ecosystems, plans, and that fulfil Ghana’s international obligations; species, genetic resources, ecological processes, lands and water;

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1-9 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 • Avoid, minimise or respond to the negative impacts of climate and development. To that end, Ghana will collaborate with other change on economic activities and national food security; regional and international bodies with supporting agendas on climate change and sustainable development as well as • Reduce or avoid damage to human settlements and endeavouring to ensure that all stakeholders and all sectors are infrastructure caused by climate change; adequately informed about climate change and its implications. • Avoid or minimise the negative impact of climate change on Stakeholder involvement and participation is appropriately national social development; coordinated to ensure efficient use of resources and create synergies. • Function as a platform that promotes the integration of policies in all sectors, regions, and districts. 1.2.3 Guiding Principles The key principles that provide the basis for policy direction for the Timelines national response to the climate change challenge in Ghana are in The varied types of interventions needed to address the climate conformity with the development agenda, existing national policies change challenge range from the long-term breeding of new and in line with the statutes of the Republic of Ghana. They include varieties of animals and tree crops to immediate changes in attitudes the following: to energy use. The collective human race, both globally and locally, o The principle of subsidiarity in order to ensure participatory may be close to a sudden catastrophic event, a “tipping point”, while decision-making at the lowest appropriate level in society; we are simultaneously suffering from slow onset events, so called “creeping changes”. As such, the timelines for Ghana’s response are o The principle of delivering the greatest common good to both immediate and long term; the longer the period to take some society when prioritising conflicting responses to climate action, however, means that the cost of the action in both economic change; and human terms will increase. o The precautionary principle that seeks to minimise activities that have the potential to negatively affect the integrity of the natural environment; International Obligations o The principle of required action ― lack of agreement on The NCCP acknowledges that to deliver on its processes, plans, long-term solutions cannot be used as an excuse to avoid strategies and approaches, Ghana must fulfil to the fullest extent near-term actions; possible all its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which would include participating o The polluter pays principle, to serve as a disincentive to in negotiations on various aspects of the Convention, its protocols, uncontrolled discharge of emissions into the environment; and articles which address national issues relating to climate change o The principle of improving equity and gender sensitivity;

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1 - 10 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 o The principle of solidarity, expressing profound human response for common problems related to climate change; o The principle that international cooperation is essential for mitigation action, as well as of shared trans-boundary issues such as international waters; o The principle of flexible response, as future developments in technologies, markets, consumer choice and political uncertainties require flexible solutions that can succeed in a range of potential scenarios; o The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities ― developed countries should take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as providing financial and technical support to developing countries; Deforested hills of the Akwapim-Togo Ranges in the Volta region o The principle of a harmonised and integrated climate change Source: C. Gordon policy with other interrelated policies ― as adaptation to climate change and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions will also involve many aspects of other social and economic 1.2.4 Application policies; This policy shall guide the work of all governmental, statutory, non- o The principle of horizontally and vertically integrated governmental and civic entities which are involved in, or which may approaches at all levels, bringing together sectors, regions, seek to become involved in, addressing climate change issues that districts, etc.; are critical to the national development and status of Ghana. o The principle of reliance on advancement and innovation in science and technology; o The Equator Principles on financing for the management of social and environmental risk.

Section 1 Introduction and Background to the NCCP 1 - 11 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Section Two: Context of the National Climate Change Policy

Section 1 Policy Context 1 - 12 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Contents of Section Two Key Messages o The National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) is to provide POLICY CONTEXT 2-1 strategic direction and coordinate issues of climate change in Ghana. Policy Objectives 2-1 o The three objectives of the NCCP are (1) effective adaptation, 2.1.1 Adaptation 2-1 (2) social development and (3) mitigation. 2.1.2 Social Development 2-5 o Four thematic areas have been identified to address the 2.1.3 Mitigation 2-7 adaptation issues in Ghana. These are (1) energy and infrastructure, (2) natural resources management, (3) agriculture 2.2 Systemic Pillars 2-9 and food security, and (4) disaster preparedness and response. 2.2.1 Governance and Coordination 2-9 2.2.2 Capacity-building 2-10 o The human impact of climate change falls, for the most part, on 2.2.3 Science, Technology and Innovation 2-11 the poor, and — very often — on women and children, the aged and the physically challenged. 2.2.4 Finance 2-12 2.2.5 International Cooperation 2-13 o Social protection and social safety nets to smooth out inequities 2.2.6 Information, Communication and Education 2-14 and build a more cohesive society are vital for climate resilience 2.2.7 Monitoring and Reporting 2-15 and national development. o Climate-change-linked opportunities such as low-carbon economic growth could generate significant development benefits. Low-carbon growth could also open up access to international funding through REDD+, etc. o The objectives of the policy can only be reached with appropriate systems in place. o Progress towards reaching the objectives rests on seven systemic pillars. These are: (1) governance and coordination, (2) capacity- building, (3) science, technology and innovation, (4) finance, (5) international cooperation, (6) information, communication and education, and (7) monitoring and reporting.

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 0 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 2.0 Policy Context Ghana identifies thematic areas that will drive its adaptation The National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) is to provide strategic strategies, these are interlaced with mitigation measures. Four direction and coordinate issues of climate change in Ghana. The thematic areas that need to be addressed were identified: NCCP surpasses the “traditional” climate change policy areas of  Energy and Infrastructure adaptation and mitigation. It emphasizes that social development is  Natural Resources Management of key concern and therefore cuts across both of these areas. Based  Agriculture and Food Security on alternative policy scenarios which emerged from an extensive  Disaster Preparedness and Response consultative process, three main objectives were distilled. These objectives were seen to capture what was important to the wide Energy and Infrastructure stakeholder base. The three objectives of the NCCP are: The GSGDA indicates the importance of energy and infrastructural 1. Effective adaptation development for economic growth and poverty reduction. There is a 2. Social development need to increase the country’s energy security and “climate-proof” 3. Mitigation infrastructure, to effectively adapt to the impacts of current climate change variability and withstand any future impacts. These objectives can only be reached with appropriate systems in place that ensure success. Therefore, progress towards the objectives As the economy expands, the pressures on water supplies for power must rest on a firm foundation, namely the following systemic generation and for irrigation are likely to increase. Studies have pillars: shown that Ghana will become water stressed by 2025, even without 1. Governance and Coordination climate change. Basic water and sanitation services are also at risk. 2. Capacity-building More intense floods can damage infrastructure and lead to the 3. Science, Technology and Innovation contamination of water sources, with obvious risks to health, while 4. Finance more frequent droughts can affect the reliability of sources. Ghana’s 5. International Cooperation coastal areas are another concern, given the rising sea levels, with 6. Information, Communication and Education important infrastructure situated along the coastal belt. 7. Monitoring and Reporting Ghana’s infrastructure is under pressure from climate change. Houses are damaged or destroyed at any time of year, particularly in 2.1 Policy Objectives poor areas. Climate change affects not only remote rural areas, but 2.1.1 Effective Adaptation the major economic centres. One of Accra’s major roads, for example, was heavily damaged by one rainstorm in 2009. Storms Adaptation to climate change is crucial to help communities and and floods increase the risk of damage to dams, reservoirs and the nations cope with its impact and are a key objective within the national electricity grid. Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA). Whilst

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 1 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 The development impacts are evident. Recent droughts and flooding The Government recognises that responses to infrastructural have affected export earnings through crop and livestock losses, as challenges require a long-term perspective and greater coordination. well as causing widespread human suffering. They also highlight Current evidence suggests that a mixture of initiatives is needed: for challenges to the nation’s continued dependence on hydro-power. example, large-scale initiatives such as measures to protect the The Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) aluminium smelter, for quality of the water supply; and small-scale initiatives at the village example, which relies on hydro-power, was closed down during the level to manage and store water. drought period in 2007. Ghana’s rural communities, for example, may play an important role in practical technology in such areas as rainwater capture and the effective use of forest reserves for water catchment. Experience Not a drop to drink? shows that interventions to strengthen livelihoods and food security People can face severe water shortages in the middle of a flood. Major from external shocks are more effective when gender differences are flooding can pollute wells and boreholes with sewage, leaving vital properly understood and addressed. Promoting a gender perspective water supplies unusable. The risks to health are, of course, enormous. in climate change adaptation is critical for improved impacts on development. Good projections matter, but infrastructure investment plans should be ‘uncertainty robust’. Infrastructure is a long-term asset that needs to be monitored to ensure that it can cope with changing climate pressures. Failure to do this places a heavy and repeated burden on Ghana’s financial and human capital. Natural Resource Management Ghana’s economy is based on the use of natural capital, which makes the sustainable management of its natural resources crucial for economic growth and sustainable development. Natural resources are not only sensitive to the ecological impacts of climate change, but are vulnerable to human pressures which lead to deforestation, land degradation, aquatic and air pollution, soil erosion, and the loss of wetlands, coastal/marine habitats and biodiversity. The wetlands and coastal ecosystems have high carbon content and their degradation will result in high carbon emissions. Estimates of the cost of environmental degradation in 2006, suggest that 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is lost annually from unsustainable management of the country’s forests, land

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 2 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 resources, wildlife and fisheries, and health costs related to water Two emerging approaches to adaptation have gained currency over supply and sanitation. the past few years, namely, Community-based Adaptation (CBA) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA). Each has its specific Almost 70% of the total land surface is now prone to soil erosion, and hard-pressed farmers are resorting to slash-and-burn practices emphasis, the former on empowering local communities to reduce that have converted more than 50% of original forest to agricultural their vulnerabilities, and the latter on harnessing the management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems as a means to provide land. Fish, timber, and non-timber forest product stocks have decreased. Ghana is losing its wildlife and biodiversity, with many goods and services in the face of climate change. Both approaches species facing extinction. Effective land use management is required stress the relevance of local specificities, recognise the role of ecosystem goods and services in people-centred adaptation, and to safeguard the natural forest. operate at scale, building from the bottom up; there should not be Land degradation exposes stored carbon in the soils with fundamental tensions between the two. Together, both approaches consequences for increasing greenhouse gas emission build-up in have a better chance to forcefully address shortcomings of the the atmosphere. When occurring in forest reserves, the carbon mainstream top-down, “hard” infrastructure-based approach to sequestration potential of forests is lost, along with additional adaptation, and promote more balanced and integrated approaches. negative consequences to global warming by the release of forest carbon. Community-based Adaptation (CBA) has been defined as, “a Ghana has three forestry stories: plantations, natural forests and community-led process, based on communities’ priorities, savannah, which are affected by climate change. For plantations, the needs, knowledge and capacities, which should empower future includes an adaptation strategy. For natural forests, the future people to plan for and cope with the impacts of climate lies in the implementation of the Reducing Emissions from change.” (Reid et al. 2009) Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA) is the use of biodiversity and programme (REDD+). Savannah woodland experiences heavy ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to pressure arising from domestic use of charcoal and fuel wood for help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. energy, which needs to be addressed. The different development (CBD) paths have implications for related institutions. The good news is that, regionally, forests remain relatively well Agriculture and Food Security managed, which is the result of 40 years of steady development Ghana’s economy is still heavily based on agriculture. The sector support and government focus, including a new emphasis on remains dependent on rainfall, rather than irrigation systems. The plantation development. There could numerous benefits from small-scale farmers who account for about 80% of domestic Ghana’s forests, as villagers manage plantation resources, increase agricultural production have few resources to invest, and farming Ghana’s carbon credit revenues and protect the watershed. remains “low tech”. As a result, the sector is very vulnerable to the

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 3 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 potential impacts of climate change. Changes in rainfall patterns Cocoa also make it hard for farmers to plan their growing seasons with Cocoa is a major foreign exchange earner for Ghana, which is accuracy. second only to Côte d’Ivoire in the production of cocoa beans. Food security is a crucial issue. Ghana reduced hunger by nearly The crop accounts for 63% of foreign exchange earnings from the three-quarters between 1990 and 2004, but food security disparities agricultural sector. More than 800,000 smallholder families grow affect the delivery of the country’s development objectives. About cocoa on farms that tend to be small but that manage to provide 18% of Ghanaians who fall below the extreme poverty line are between 70% and 100% of their annual household income. Cocoa chronically food insecure. Generally, those whose livelihoods are cultivation is, however, a low input venture that is not yet most dependent on agriculture are most affected. Analysis in the producing to its full potential. poorest regions that are also most vulnerable to climate change The cocoa sector is at a crucial point. There is a desire to found that 34% of households in the Upper West region were modernise and improve yields. At the same time, however, the experiencing food insecurity, compared to 2% in greater Accra. It is sector is predisposed to vulnerability in the face of climate therefore important that policy responses to climate change look change. Some projections suggest falling production from 2020 to beyond the environment to the broader social issues faced by 2080, and some even suggest that the cocoa sector will not specific social groups. survive. Several staple cereal crops as well as roots and tubers are beginning to be affected by the shortening of the growing season. Anecdotal evidence points at transition zone farmers suffering heavy losses due to dry weather as well as inability to harvest tubers due to the hardness of the ground. Modernisation of agriculture, as a way to increase yields, requires a transformation of current agricultural practices and, for example, the development and application of new crop varieties that are better suited to the changing climate conditions; higher energy and water inputs to support large-scale irrigation; and mechanization.

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 4 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Disaster Preparedness and Response lack of dependable finance, weak coordination and the continuation More than 80% of the disasters in Ghana are considered to be of a number of reactive approaches. These challenges are climate-related. Climate change is expected to increase the exacerbated by weak institutional capacity, low public awareness, frequency and magnitude of many types of extreme events such as and the lack of detailed disaster risk profiles on earlier disasters that floods, droughts and wildfires, as well as to affect the intensity, would equip Ghana to address similar problems in the future. duration and magnitude of other occurrences such as landslides, heat Measures are needed to build capacity and enhance and improve waves and disease outbreaks. There are the direct economic, early warning systems, as well as to improve the protective physical and human losses; however, the indirect impact on infrastructure, such as sea defence walls. Such measures need to be production time, cost of essential goods and services, or market backed by effective international cooperation and by reliable and shares are far more costly. While the adverse impact of climate regular funding. change on society may increase disaster risk, disasters erode environmental and social resilience, and thus increase vulnerability to climate change. 2.1.2 Social Development Because climate change means less predictable weather, knowledge The Government of Ghana is working to create a more coherent, of previous extreme weather patterns is no longer a reliable guide to equitable and integrated society which is crucial for the achievement what will happen in the future, but the frequency and intensity of of middle income status by 2020. The human impact of climate disasters is expected to increase. change falls, for the most part, on the poorest: the urban poor who live in low-lying and flood-prone areas and the rural poor who rely Repeated small-scale disasters are every bit as devastating for those on groundwater for their water supply, and – very often – women affected as are major disasters, wiping out livelihoods and assets and and children, the aged and the physically challenged. It is clear that, destroying homes. Systems need to ensure that such disasters whatever the eventual shape of climate change, it can only magnify receive as much attention, and equal response, as the disasters that existing social pressures, such as the pressure to leave rural areas hit the headlines. and migrate to towns and cities. Ghana’s rain-fed agriculture is The goal, therefore, is to build a climate-resilient society — a likely to become more fragile and, without alternative forms of society that can rely on effective early warning and response income, the rural-urban drift will increase. systems, where everyone has a broad understanding of climate Ghana still faces disparities in access to health care between urban hazards, and where the emphasis is on disaster preparedness and and rural communities and between rich and poor. Climatic changes prevention, rather than on disaster response. will influence the range of some infectious disease vectors, The Government is moving the emphasis from disaster risk increasing the incidence of diseases carried in the water, air, and management that deals with the immediate aftermath of a disaster, to food. This can result in deteriorating health conditions, leading to long-term disaster resilience. The challenges, however, include a

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 5 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 higher budgetary problems with serious consequences for the adaptive capacities also arise from factors such as social inequalities National Health Insurance Scheme. that have been perpetuated for decades, ascribed social and economic roles that manifest themselves in unequal access to Increased heat stress and drought-related deaths in both humans and resources and to decision-making processes, reduced access to livestock are already occurring in the extreme north of the country. information, ineffective property rights and reduced mobility. The transmission of malaria, one of the leading causes of death in Women’s vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by their Ghana, is climate-related and influenced by rainfall, temperatures comparative lack of assets — physical, financial and social. As and humidity. Flooding, for example, will increase the range of the climate change affects men and women differently, there will be no mosquito and hence different strains of malaria, while the incidence climate justice until gender issues are resolved. of parasitic infections might increase. This can be exacerbated by poor urban planning. Malaria care would, on average, cost around The youth form a significant proportion of the population of Ghana 30% of the income of poor people, and any increase in its incidence and live with the impacts of climate change much longer. As such, will put pressure on household incomes and the health budget. the youth are key stakeholders in the climate change process. Social protection and social safety nets to smooth out inequities and Women and Climate Change build a more cohesive society are vital for climate resilience. The What happens to women, matters to Ghana’s economy. Women vulnerable especially, must benefit from the provision of public produce 70% of the nation’s subsistence crops, account for 52% of goods and services such as water, health, education, sanitation, and our labour force and contribute 46% of our total GDP. They tend to police services, among others. While poverty has fallen dramatically be responsible for household water supplies and energy for cooking, recently, rural poverty has deepened and the gap between the rich and for food security and are highly dependent on local natural and poor has widened, with implications for poverty, equity and resources for their livelihoods — all of which makes them gender issues. There is the need to provide alternative activities to disproportionately vulnerable to climate change. A study on the meet livelihood needs which would assist in reducing vulnerability impact of climate change on women in three districts has confirmed to climate change. Vulnerable groups lack the major resources that, although women undertake 85% of Ghana’s food distribution, needed for maintaining sustainable livelihoods and are normally at they have difficulties in accessing land, land tenure security and risk of losing the little they have to climate induced hazards. formal financial services. Attempts to address gender concerns in The evidence shows that climate change will hit women harder than climate change must first address gender inequities and recognise men because of existing vulnerabilities and gender inequalities. that the effects of climate change are likely to affect men and Whilst it is clear that climate change affects all, the impact and women differently. By exacerbating inequality overall, climate degree of vulnerability is different for men and women. Women are change slows progress towards gender equality, impeding our more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men— progress on poverty reduction and sustainable development. primarily as they constitute the majority of the poor and are more dependent on natural resources for their livelihood. Their limited

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 6 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Migration is an important strategy for both the poor and non-poor in 2.1.3 Mitigation Ghana. As a reaction to the threat of climate change and other Ghana has responded positively to various international mechanisms stressors, migrants tend to leave environmentally fragile areas for on enhanced mitigation actions, including low carbon growth, ecologically better places or urban areas where they join mostly the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), REDD+, etc. informal sector. Many young women, for example, are leaving These will facilitate mitigating climate change especially in sectors northern Ghana for the south, fuelling the growing phenomenon of that contribute significantly to national GHG emissions and Kayayei (female head-porters) on the streets of Accra and other removal. cities. The varied types of migration, and of the migrants themselves, have implications for the targeting of, for example, Ghana is poised to take its economic development to an entirely new social protection and education programmes. level. The nation has an opportunity to choose a low carbon path. Otherwise, its priorities — economic growth and development — could be expected to lead to increased emissions of greenhouse Migration gases if a “business as usual” approach is taken. Migration is commonplace in Ghana, and is a traditional response to In addition to being climate friendly, low carbon economic growth hard times, with migration rising during the “hungry” season would generate significant development benefits. In the short term, between March and September before the harvest. What we are now low carbon alternatives may reveal direct business opportunities and seeing is increasing internal migration that is driven, in part, by cost reductions. Low carbon growth would also open up access to climate change, and that goes beyond the traditional rural to urban international funding through, for example, REDD+. And in the or north to south shift. Complex patterns of migration are playing long term, low carbon growth would create a more robust economy, out across the country. better able to withstand many shocks and stresses. This would In a study of internal migrants from north-west Ghana, most contribute to the creation of a more equitable and integrated society. respondents mentioned environmental reasons for leaving their Ghana’s energy has, historically, been based on low carbon hydro- homes. However, migration was higher from districts with scarce power, which is now vulnerable to climate change, threatening natural resources and did not increase in times of environmental Ghana’s energy security. Ongoing power sector reform, however, stress. Other work clearly indicates that climate pressures are increasing the pressure to migrate. It is not a simple story of distress could lead to a stronger involvement by the private sector in building new low carbon electricity generation capacity and migration in the face of environmental disaster, but of the interaction investing in energy efficiency. There are emerging oil and gas between climate change and other development challenges. industries, with expectations of enough gas in the Jubilee oil field to generate around 30% of Ghana’s current electricity needs. [The substitution of current thermal power generation with light crude oil from the Jubilee can provide lower carbon alternatives for supplementing the loss of hydropower]. The largest industrial

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 7 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 energy user, the gold mining sector, is already adopting major REDD+ and Agricultural Carbon energy efficiency initiatives as a result of changing industrial costs, Forests have fuelled much of Ghana’s development, but agricultural including the cost of power. There is an opportunity here to build on expansion, over-harvesting, and demand for fuel wood and charcoal such private sector initiatives and to forge closer partnerships. have reduced forest cover. Ghana was the first country to make a Energy efficiency measures, such as the very successful programme voluntary agreement to ensure legal timber trade with the European to introduce compact fluorescent lamps, tend to reduce energy costs Union and the strong engagement by civil society, industry and the and leave more electricity available for other purposes. Government has helped to guide similar efforts in other countries. Low carbon growth can mean, for example, less reliance on fossil Measures to reduce deforestation and degradation and ensure fuels, higher energy efficiency and increased use of renewable sustainable forest management, such as REDD+, present a major energy, which could lead to improved international competitiveness, new opportunity. There is strong interest from the international as well as new jobs related to the application of modern community and the private sector to invest, and Ghana has been technologies. Waste, agricultural residues and biomass could be selected to pilot work on a large scale, building on its existing used to generate energy. A low carbon future can also mean initiative on forest governance and trade. improved city planning and a more modern public transport system. REDD+ also demonstrates the cross-sectoral nature of low carbon Ghana’s transport system is road-based, with increasing congestion development in Ghana. It encompasses the sustainable use of and pollution, particularly in the cities. An urban transport project, firewood and charcoal for energy, afforestation and reforestation using high occupancy buses running in dedicated lanes, is already programmes and the interaction with increasing yields through under way to resolve these problems. An inter-city rail service climate-smart agriculture. between Accra and Tema has also been inaugurated. Key questions include how benefits are to be shared between Ghana aims to derive 10% of its energy from renewable resources different levels of government, local communities and others such as other than large-scale hydropower by 2020 and is developing a women and indigenous people with a right to forest resources, and proposal to establish its own Renewable Energy Fund under the the creation of an efficient system to measure and monitor the Renewable Energy Law. It may well be possible to attract carbon stocks of Ghana’s forests, including a baseline against which international support for low carbon initiatives via NAMAs or to measure progress (see box on mapping carbon biomass). through the carbon market. An initiative on improved cook stoves, There are also opportunities for new revenues in agriculture from for example, could be scaled up. With adequate financing, strong the carbon stock in bushes and trees in cocoa-growing areas. capacity-building and solid data, Ghana could be well placed to Partnerships between large companies and small-scale farmers are become an early mover on low carbon growth within West Africa. being explored. Others are exploring ways to manage carbon through different crop and livestock practices and pay farmers to provide essential environmental services such as protecting watercourses.

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 8 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 2.2 Systemic Pillars 2.2.1 Governance and coordination Ghana recognises that the economic stability and resilience of the Governance and coordination lie at the heart of the NCCP, which natural environment is key to coping with climate change, so will do aims to create a broad constituency that goes beyond government to everything possible to enhance and maintain environmental quality. include the private sector, non-governmental organisations, As such, Ghana will use appropriate planning to address the impacts Parliamentarians, communities and other key stakeholders. The of climate change within the wider context of sustainable NCCP enhances coordination, establishing clear mandates and roles development, and create an enabling environment to adopt for the different stakeholders, including the policy oversight role of appropriate technologies and practices to address causes and effects the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, of climate change and assist in meeting national and international the coordination of climate finance by the Ministry of Finance and commitments. This will require developing national human and Economic Planning, and measures to support small farmers and institutional capacity in all aspects of climate change research, safeguard food security by the Ministries of Agriculture and Health. response, and planning, which in turn calls for procuring and allocating financial and other resources as appropriate and feasible, The Government has established structures related to climate to ensure that climate change is addressed in the manner required. change, including national cross-sectoral committees for climate These concepts were discussed extensively during the development change, REDD+ and disaster risk management. The new national of the NCCP, and seven systemic pillars were agreed upon: Environmental and Natural Resources Advisory Council, chaired by the Vice-President, will have a strong oversight role. 1. Governance and coordination Climate change actions must be institutionalised and integrated into 2. Capacity-building 3. Science, technology and innovation mainstream development policies, plans and programmes at the 4. Finance national level. Priority areas for action have now been established by 5. International cooperation the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, and there has 6. Information, communication and education been progress in planning processes that look beyond the short term 7. Monitoring and reporting to the need for medium-term strategies. There are several issues that need to underpin any climate change There is, however, a need to synchronise the current approaches. initiative. Because of their special importance, gender issues have The establishment of a statutory coordination unit, potentially in the form of a national climate change body, overseeing all climate- been given special prominence in the broad thematic areas and related policy areas and coordinating activities, would minimise programmes that follow in the NCCP. Women and the girl child are duplication and maximise synergies. This should ensure synergies often responsible for the very areas that are most vulnerable to with existing institutions and programmes. Conflict-resolution and climate change, including household water, food and fuel supplies. The NCCP recognises their particular vulnerability to climate governance mechanisms must be incorporated to provide resilience change and ensures that they are part of the response. to climate stresses and reduce the potential risks of conflict. The

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 9 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) and sector, the media, non-governmental organizations and, above all, women’s groups should be adequately represented. communities. There is a need to ensure that women have equal It is important that governance mechanisms are in place to: (i) access to training and capacity-building programmes to ensure their ensure coherent, cross-sectoral action; (ii) address local-level full participation in climate change initiatives. Systematic gender analysis, collection and utilisation of sex-disaggregated data, and the priorities; (iii) ensure the transparency and openness of the establishment of gender-sensitive benchmarks and indicators need to responsible agencies; and (iv) allow public participation and access be undertaken. to information. It is appreciated that without compliance to rules, regulations and laws by the general public, governance mechanisms The private sector, for example, is involved in climate change will be inefficient at achieving climate resilience. As such, there is a activities. Ghana’s private sector needs to know how climate change need to have robust enforcement systems to realize the objectives of affects profits, for example, how energy efficiency reduces the cost this policy. This is especially pertinent as climate change has been of doing business and how best to engage with complex concepts for implicated as a driver of conflict, including trans-boundary tensions. carbon markets. Current capacity gaps include the challenge of translating complex 2.2.2 Capacity-building climate science into messages that will resonate with the wider public. Here, the media has a crucial role to play in conveying “why Climate change poses entirely new challenges to Ghana’s existing climate change matters to me”. The Government is taking initial capacities, and it is clear that people and institutions need to respond steps for capacity-building at the district level, but needs support for in new ways. Ghana has taken steps to address national capacity capacity-building within the local communities where policy gaps, but still faces challenges around institutional capacity, implementation takes place. strengths and interaction. Skilled climate scientists are needed to inform development planning, and capacity-building is needed at Ghana can draw on a wealth of traditional knowledge that can be a district levels to implement local initiatives. To engage real asset in the face of climate change. However, many traditional internationally requires negotiation skills and resource mobilisation, responses may inadvertently increase vulnerability, such as the sale while also building national capacity to absorb and use such of livestock and other assets during hard times, with no guarantee of resources. being able to restore those assets before the next climate shock. While the Government and civil society have supported capacity- Finally, strong internal systems and incentives are needed to retain building on climate change with parliamentarians and the media, institutional memory and continuity to ensure that Ghana does not much of the work carried out to date has targeted those already lose its brightest and its best to the so-called “brain drain”. working in climate-related sectors. Given the wider impact of climate change, capacity-building needs to be rolled out to include the wider society, that is, the private

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 10 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 2.2.3 Science, Technology and Innovation institutes and within ministries, departments and agencies that focus on specific areas such as climate change and health, but these need Ghana faces major challenges with information and data flow on strengthening and better coordination. climate change, including the quality of data, access to data, and gathering, sharing and translation of that data. The research needs on In addition, Ghana has a vast body of traditional knowledge on how climate change are significant, starting with the pressing need for to cushion the impacts of an adverse climate that needs to be tapped, better projections on possible impacts, backed by effective documented and analysed. knowledge systems to inform strategy, planning and practice. Traditional knowledge has been critical in conserving natural Research on climate change in Ghana is often project-driven, short- resources, protecting the environment, making farming decisions, term and uncoordinated. An ongoing survey of research activities predicting weather, managing health and coping with extreme reveals that there is limited research in climatology and meteorology climate variability. It is important to document indigenous as well as the down-scaling of models and scenarios. In addition, knowledge into early warning systems and research and to establish more information is needed on what works for local people, based its potential for scaling up. on research that is informed by their views and, if possible, Basic information is needed to guide REDD+ efforts, including participatory. information on different land uses, the extent of land use change, Climate change cannot be understood in terms of simple cause and and the measurement and monitoring of carbon stock density and effect or considered in isolation. Its impacts interact with each other changes. in ways that are difficult to describe and predict. This presents Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and engineering are key serious challenges for research that requires a multi-disciplinary to our development as a country. As a result, we need to invest in approach. STI right from the basics, targeting policies and long-term Another challenge is how best to establish meaningful dialogues development plans. between climate scientists and the users of knowledge and offer There is also the need for increased funding for STI initiatives which accessible and relevant resources to stakeholders concerned with are linked to the national development policy. Ghana needs to take sustainable development. This requires high-level and well- advantage of the opportunities climate change presents to harness structured science to map the interactions and feedbacks between its STI in the development process. complex climate systems in order to provide policymakers with the The National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy seeks to evidence they need to formulate valid policies and to guide create the national capacity to exploit opportunities for innovation implementation. addressing climate change. The proposed Centre for Excellence for Climate in the GSGDA would help to fill research and knowledge gaps. Meanwhile, there are several initiatives by universities and research and development

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 11 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 2.2.4 Finance Ghana will require substantial additional resources to respond effectively to climate change. Estimates of funding needs vary widely. It is very clear, however, that scaled-up resources need to flow faster and on a large scale if development is to proceed in the context of climate change. Ghana is well placed to make good use of climate finance, given its credible Public Financial Management system and its experience on how best to blend support from donors with national resources to address national priorities. In international negotiations, developed countries have committed to providing scaled-up funds, while also seeking to increase the size and accessibility of carbon markets. Rules and arrangements are still being established and are complex and changing rapidly, with many different initiatives being established or piloted. On the Adaptation Fund Board, Ghana has helped set rules in place that allow direct access to funding for countries that can demonstrate their ability to manage fiduciary risk to international standards. In other cases, resources are directly controlled by intermediaries and allocated to countries or to specific projects and programmes. This may not always fit in with national processes and calendars. Ghana will need to call on a mix of public and private, international and domestic sources, and the Government is keen to ensure a coordinated approach that reinforces existing practices in national planning and public financial management. This is in line with the principles of Ghana’s Aid Policy for development. Key roles for government include mobilisation and allocation of funding, and tracking of progress to ensure proper accounting and cost-effective use of resources in an efficient manner. and aims to build capacity to apply this technique more widely across West Africa. The image below shows initial work on the above ground biomass, from which carbon stocks could be derived.

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 12 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Major opportunities are also emerging within the private sector and Ghana has helped to structure the new Finance Mechanisms for the Government is considering ways to promote the stronger Adaptation and was one of the first to submit its programme under involvement of the private sector in climate change responses. The the Copenhagen Accord. Government is also considering the potential for a national financing A clear potential is seen for improved South-South collaboration and mechanism or facility that can meet the needs of different themes, there is already close collaboration with counterparts in Brazil, such as renewable energy or gender issues, without having a China and India. Equally, Ghana welcomes, and makes effective use proliferation of funds and procedures. Key to this will be the of, support from the international community to address the impacts strengthening of the ability of different parties to secure and use of climate change. funding well – their absorptive capacity. Sector working groups, led by the Government, already provide a platform for the coordination of development assistance and the 2.2.5 International Cooperation alignment of that assistance to national priorities. The aim is to ensure that international support for climate finance, programmes Ghana has a respected role on the international stage. In recent and projects work in the same way, to preserve Ghana’s strong years, Ghana has become a world leader on progress towards the relationship with donors and synergies with international institutions Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in relation to and programmes. MDG1 on eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. The nations’ needs include developing a critical mass of trained The country has been at the forefront of the global climate change experts to help ensure the successful implementation of our debate, contributing at both technical and political levels over the international obligations, and an independent evaluation of the past decade. Ghana has a respected role within the Africa Group in wealth of reports on our compliance with international treaties. climate change negotiations, and is active in dialogue on the African common position on Climate Change. In 2012, for example, the While there has been progress on raising public awareness of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting international legal instruments and their objectives, there is still on sub-regional adaptation and mitigation strategies was hosted by space for programmes that will expand this awareness still further. A Ghana. holistic approach needs to be adopted towards encouraging financing of climate change mitigating activities. Institutional Ghana has actively contributed to many other international frameworks such as tax subsidies for businesses operating in sectors negotiation processes, in addition to hosting the 2008 UNFCCC that contribute to reducing climate change, investment vehicles and meeting. Many formal and informal international meetings on matching fund structures will help lower the credit risk that financial specific issues with ministers and technical experts are supported, institutions face in lending to the sector. Businesses whose and the nation’s track record on forest governance is now linking it operations will help reduce climate change should be provided with to global REDD+ processes. capacity-enhancing training and access to government procurement

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 13 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 in order for them to attain economies of scale and increased access At the international level, Ghana is actively communicating on to financing. There should be a climate change fund with climate change. A display of legally logged tree stumps from Ghana, commitment from government and matching contributions from for example, powerfully conveyed the importance of forests to the financial services firms. The climate change fund can be a long-term international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in 2009. investment vehicle that supports the Government’s efforts in managing climate change. Climate change education Insurance firms can be encouraged to help underwrite climate Climate change education may need to happen at a number of levels change risks. Such policies can be at the retail level to households simultaneously, e.g.: and on a wholesale level to banks that underwrite facilities that • Internal communications programme for national and regional support environmentally sustainable activities. public servants There is a need for targeted and market-oriented research. Other • The integration of climate change into the curricula of formal, approaches such as environmental bonds and the removal of taxes or non-formal as well as informal education programmes subsidies on renewable products need to be explored. • Ways to brief teachers or other professionals who might act as formal or informal distribution networks for messages about 2.2.6 Information, Communication and Education climate change or disaster preparedness. Communication is critical to engage all stakeholders on climate Ghana could integrate and scale up its education efforts on climate change. However, communication “business as usual” is not enough. change by drawing on its successful tactics in other sectors, such as It is important to develop a more comprehensive approach to health education. communication in its broadest sense, to ensure that key messages are shared and understood, and encourage real engagement on this issue. The GSGDA highlights the need to mainstream communications Climate change is everybody’s business. If people are to address into national development planning, engage citizens, create dialogue climate change by taking responsibility for their actions, and to seize and monitor success. In addition to these broad aims, focused the opportunities it may present, they need to be aware of climate communication is needed to raise public awareness of the new change and how it relates to them. energy labels for appliances, energy efficiency in the private sector Good communication, education and awareness-raising around and the benefits of improved cook stoves. A campaign on disaster climate change are all essential to deliver the objectives described preparedness is under way. Ghana aims to: earlier in this discussion document. They are crucial for the success • Increase general understanding of climate change amongst of climate change adaptation and low carbon strategies and to ensure stakeholders and stimulate debate on this issue good governance and transparency in progress towards sustainable • Build a coalition of stakeholders to create more awareness national development.

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 14 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 • Initiate public campaigns and debate on the realities of climate are hard to predict, the adequate monitoring of climatic changes and change for Ghanaians, addressing the critical question: “What their impacts is crucial. This is needed in order to plan targeted does climate change mean for me?” adaptation interventions and track their appropriateness and cost- • Facilitate inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration through effectiveness in a changing climate. For example, the National effective information flow and communications. Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) does not yet have a central system to record disaster impacts at the national level, which 2.2.7 Monitoring and Reporting reduces its ability to prepare well. There is a need for systematic observation systems, e.g., weather stations to support disaster Monitoring and reporting are essential to ensure the effectiveness response. Networks for the transmission of data from stations to and accountability of climate change actions for development in monitoring centres and early warning information from monitoring Ghana. Three key aspects of monitoring and reporting are of centres to end users (especially rural communities) need to also be particular relevance. strengthened. First, planning of, decision-making on and implementation of Third, the concept of “Measurement, Reporting and Verification” effective use of resources all require monitoring and evaluation, (MRV), which emerged from international climate change with baselines and indicators. In general, a set of tools is used before negotiations, is relevant for Ghana when receiving international the intervention takes place, or after the intervention, tracking support for its voluntary contributions to tackle climate change. The expected or realized outcomes. This helps to ensure that resources concept includes a registry to keep track of whether the international for development are well spent, and that the results are support promised is really being provided, as well as monitoring communicated back to decision makers and stakeholders for future whether climate change interventions are in operation, how action. successful they are and to what extent they reduce emissions and The GSGDA states that monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is an create effective adaptation. The development of relevant gender- integral part of policy formulation and implementation in Ghana. sensitive indicators as part of Ghana’s monitoring and reporting The expectation is that the development of the climate change system is also crucial. policy, its institutions and implementation will fall under the An effective MRV system for Ghana’s REDD+ activities would, for existing M&E systems. Climate change interventions need to be example, enable the country to access larger scale international linked to the delivery of sectoral development objectives and be support, but needs international support for building the required consistent with national priorities. Monitoring and reporting on these institutional and technical capacity. In addition, a REDD+ system interventions, however, will require strengthening of the existing needs to link to a wider national system for MRV to avoid systems. duplication and increase coherence, especially with changes in Second, given Ghana’s physical location within the complex West reporting needs for all stakeholders. African climate system where, in particular, future rainfall patterns

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 15 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Section Three: Institutional, Legal and Regulatory Framework

Section 2 Policy Context 2 - 16 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Contents of Section Three Key Messages o There are a number of existing national institutions and private 3.0 POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS 3-1 organizations in Ghana whose mandates/activities touch on 3.1. Institutions – Roles and Responsibilities 3-1 climate and climate change issues. These include Government, 3.1.1 Overview of key Climate Change Units in Government 3-1 private industry and civil society as well as bilateral and 3.1.2 Non Governmental /Civil Society Organizations 3-10 multilateral donor partners. 3.1.3 Private Sector 3-11 o There is high-level political support for climate change initiatives in Ghana. 3.2 Legal and Regulatory Framework 3-12 3.2.1 International Obligations 3-12 o There is a high degree of interest in climate change in the CSO 3.2.2 Existing Climate Related Policies and Strategies 3-13 and NGO community as well as in the private sector, especially the financial sector. o There is a lack of an omnibus coordinating/facilitating platform for all climate change stakeholders to interact and communicate. o The National Climate Change Committee needs to be re- designated and strengthened. o Ghana has played a leading role in climate change negotiations and discussions at the international level. o Ghana has ratified most of the international legal instruments on climate change. o Ghana has several existing policy instruments that mainstream climate change. Market stalls provided for a community Source: Africa Adaptation Programme

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 0 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 3.0 Policy Implementation Arrangements 1. Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation 3.1. Institutions – Roles and Responsibilities 2. Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning There are a number of existing national institutions and private 3. National Development Planning Commission organizations in Ghana whose mandates/activities touch on climate 4. Ministry of Communications (Ghana Meteorological and climate change issues to varying degrees. This section discusses Agency) these institutions, their roles and responsibilities, as well as the legal and regulatory framework governing climate change issues in 5. Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Ghana. Ghana’s international obligations as well as Ghana’s 6. Ministry of Local Government and Rural position within the African context are also discussed. Development 7. Ministry of Health 3.1.1 Overview of key Climate Change Units in Government 8. Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing 9. Ministry of Food and Agriculture In Ghana, attention to climate change is gaining momentum both at the highest political level and across sectors. Climate change is 10. Ministry of Energy being mainstreamed into national development frameworks, such as 11. Ministry of Education the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) 12. Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (2010–2013) coordinated by the National Development Planning 13. Ministry of Roads and Highways Commission (NDPC). In addition, climate change is among various thematic areas receiving support under the “Natural Resources and Environmental Governance” initiative (NREG), from key development partners and the World Bank. Practically every arm of government is affected by climate change either directly or through secondary effects or even by changes in central budget allocation as a result of government response to climate change. For the purposes of the NCCP, 13 Ministries and their associated departments and agencies are presented:

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 1 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Promoting activities needed to underpin the standards and policies required for planning and implementation of development activities;  Coordinating, supervising, monitoring and evaluating activities that support goals and targets of the ministry and national sustainable development; and  Spatial planning of urban and rural areas. To achieve this, the Ministry operates through the following:  The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and its 13 institutes  The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) Accra Floods in October 2001 Source: C. Gordon  The Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  The Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Prior to the realignment of the environment, science and technology sectors into the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) in 2009, the environment portfolio was an integral part of other ministries such as the Ministry of Environment and Science and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment. The mandate of MESTI includes:  Protecting the environment through policy formulation and economic, scientific and technological interventions needed to mitigate any harmful impacts caused by development activities;  Setting standards and regulating activities concerning the application of science and technology in managing the 2008 World Sanitation Day celebrations organised by MEST environment for sustainable development; Source: C. Gordon

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 2 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 CSIR was established by National Liberation Council (NLC) Decree priorities and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas 293 of October 10, 1968, amended by NLCD 329 of 1969, and re- emissions and an increase in carbon sinks and also to adaption. established in its present form by Act of Parliament 521 (CSIR Act The EPA is the lead institution for UNFCCC activities in the 521) on November 26, 1996. Currently, the Council exercises country and is the main Country Implementation Institution for the control over 13 research institutes nationwide. The Council is technical coordination of activities on climate change and other mandated, inter alia, to pursue the implementation of government environmental conventions ratified by Ghana. A national climate policies on scientific research and development; and to encourage in change focal point is in place under the Conventions and Projects the national interest scientific and industrial research of importance Implementation Department to act as the “desk” for the for the development of agriculture, health, medicine, environment, implementation of climate-change-related issues. The “desk” technology and other service sectors and to encourage close linkages coordinates the activities of working groups and climate change with the productive sectors of the economy. study teams to support the implementation of Climate Change The Council plays a key role in climate-change-related research in Project activities. Some activities include: various sectors of the economy. Nine of the CSIR research o Ghana’s First (2002), and Second (2006) National institutions focus on agriculture, one of the key areas expected to be Communications to the UNFCCC affected by climate change. Climate-related-research undertaken by o Climate Change Technology Needs Assessment (2003) the Council includes water and its related resources, forestry, o The Clean Development Mechanism (EPA designated technologies for climate change adaption and mitigation, and other National Authority); and most notable, the green facility equally critical sectors of the economy. The Council also phase 1 project collaborates with relevant stakeholders, the ministries, government o Ghana Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and agencies and departments, the universities and the civil society Adaptation Assessments (2008) organizations (CSOs) on climate-change-related issues and consultancy services. With support from UNDP, EPA in collaboration with NDPC and the MESTI, through the EPA, is the Designated National Authority National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) is (DNA) for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the facilitating initiatives to mainstream climate change and disaster risk Kyoto Protocol. In addition, the National Climate Change reduction into national development at all planning levels (i.e., Committee (NCCC) is hosted by MESTI. This committee is made national, regional, district and across sectors). To support such up of representatives from relevant ministries, universities, research efforts a guidebook on mainstreaming climate change and disaster institutions, the private sector and NGOs, and has been mandated risk reduction has been developed. The implementation of the under a ministerial directive. The NCCC has the mandate of mainstreaming process is being piloted in ten District Assemblies reviewing policies and programmes to complement national (DAs) in Ghana.

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 3 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 administrator of the Adaptation Fund in Ghana. MoFEP is also leading the inter-ministerial collaboration under the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) initiative by the World Bank Group to support REDD+ implementation in Ghana. The Natural Resource Governance desk at MoFEP centrally coordinates the budget support programme under the NREG and FIP initiatives. The Ministry coordinates all forms of support (domestic and international) to climate-change–related activities in Ghana. This is Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) to avoid potential overlaps and potential duplication of efforts and Source: MoFEP webpage above all to distribute resources to where they are most needed. The DAs were selected to reflect regional and ecological balance MoFEP is also engaged in the process of developing national and above all climate change vulnerability and socio-economic climate change budgeting guidelines to facilitate mainstreaming burden or risk. In addition to the institutional arrangement between climate change into national planning. EPA and MESTI, other government agencies have established climate change units. For example, both the Forestry Commission and Energy Commission have also established climate change units National Development Planning Commission to specifically handle REDD+ and Energy Efficiency issues The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is a body respectively. created by articles 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Republic of Ghana and established by Acts 479 and 480 (1994) of Parliament. Its mandate is to advise the President of the Republic of The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) has Ghana on development planning policy and strategy, to prepare and created a natural resources, environment and climate change unit to ensure the effective implementation of approved national oversee, coordinate and manage financing of and support to natural development plans and strategies, and coordinate economic and resources and climate change activities. Apart from their social activities countrywide in a manner that will ensure accelerated representation in the NCCC, MoFEP has been active in the national and sustainable development of the country and improvement in the processes to mainstream climate change into national development standard of living for all Ghanaians. The Commission at the request planning. of the President, Parliament, or on its own initiative, is expected to: The Ministry has also been nominated for accreditation as the  Study and make strategic analyses of macro-economic and National Implementing Entity (NIE) to the Adaptation Fund Board. structural reform options; This is to legally enable MoFEP to function as the fiduciary

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 4 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Make proposals for the development of multi-year rolling all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and in plans, taking into consideration the resource potential and particular the 32 newly created districts, on how to mainstream comparative advantages of the different districts of Ghana; climate change issues into development plans.  Make proposals for the protection of the natural and physical Working with the Africa Adaptation Programme at EPA, NDPC environment with a view to ensuring that development with the Fiscal Decentralisation Unit of MoFEP has developed an strategies and programmes are in conformity with sound indicator on climate change for the District Functional environmental principles; Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT). The FOAT is an  Make proposals for ensuring the even development of the assessment tool used to determine the quantum of funds released districts of Ghana by the effective utilisation of available to the districts. On the monitoring side, NPDC in collaboration resources; with all the sectors ensures the development indicators (including  Monitor, evaluate and co-ordinate development policies, climate change) are mainstreamed into the national monitoring programmes and projects; and evaluation plan to guide the implementation of the sector and  Undertake studies and make recommendations on districts. development and socio-economic issues;  Formulate comprehensive national development planning Ministry of Communications (Ghana Meteorological Services strategies and ensure that the strategies are effectively carried Agency (GMet)) out;  Prepare broad national development plans; The Ghana Meteorological Services Agency (GMet) was set up in  Keep under constant review national development plans in the December 2004 by the Ghana Meteorological Agency Act (Act 682) light of prevailing domestic and international economic, social to replace the former Ghana Meteorological Services Department. and political conditions and make recommendations for the The primary function of GMet is to provide efficient weather revision of existing policies and programmes where necessary; services through the collection, processing, storage and and dissemination of meteorological data to end users. Recipients of  Perform such other functions relating to development planning information from the GMet include the Ministry of Food and as the President may direct. Agriculture, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources including the Survey Department, NADMO, universities, research institutions, airlines, maritime operations, banks, cocoa farmers and producers of NDPC, working in close collaboration with EPA, MESTI and other crops. Although GMet has been undergoing institutional MoFEP, has ensured the reflection of climate change issues in the reforms for some time now, especially in the areas of data current Medium-Term Development Policy Framework (GSGDA: commercialization and overall capacity development, the Agency is 2010–2013). As part of its mandate, NDPC has translated climate still challenged with numerous logistical constraints, such as: change issues into planning guidelines and subsequently trained

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 5 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Inadequate number of professional staff  Inadequate level of funding  Poor or outdated infrastructure for climate information gathering and forecasting  Lack of efficient telecommunication systems  Lack of high computational interconnectivity which is needed at synoptic stations to send data to aid forecasting  Need for more automated weather and computation stations. These challenges affect the ability of GMet to collect climate information for further development into useable products for the country. Where capacity is inadequate, the country’s ability to plan adaptation measures and adapt effectively becomes highly constrained. GMet needs to be strengthened in the area of climate research so as to support hydrological modelling. Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) is the lead (MLGRD) exists to promote the establishment and development of a national entity responsible for overall oversight and direction of vibrant and well-resourced decentralization system of local REDD+ activities in Ghana. The National REDD+ Working Group, government for the people of Ghana, to ensure good governance and established in 2009, provides support to MLNR. The Ministry is balanced rural development. MLGRD, through its implementing also represented at the National Climate Change Committee. The agencies, achieves this by: REDD+ secretariat at the Forestry Commission serves as the  Reforming and encouraging local governments to serve secretariat for the National REDD+ Working Group and coordinates effectively as institutions for mobilizing and harmonizing the implementation of REDD+ readiness activities as outlined in the local resources for local national administration and National REDD+ Preparation Proposal (R-PP) with support development; provided by the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the  Facilitating the development of human settlements through community and popular participation; World Bank.  Facilitating a clean and healthy environment; and  Broadening opportunities by facilitating horticultural development.

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 6 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 In response to environmental sanitation issues, MLGRD has worked with stakeholders to develop an Environmental Sanitation Policy, Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and a National Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan for The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH) implementing policy measures and related action. The role of has as its main functions the formulation and coordination of MLGRD is critical to Ghana’s quest for improving human policies and programmes for the systematic development of Ghana’s development and the quality of life of its people. MLGRD plays an infrastructure requirements with respect to public works, housing, important role also in ensuring that climate change is mainstreamed water supply and sanitation, and hydrology. MWRWH, through its at the local level. Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health seeks to improve the health status of Ghanaians through the development and promotion of proactive policies, provision of universal access to basic health services and the provision of quality and affordable health services. To achieve an efficient and effective health delivery, the Ministry operates through its implementing agencies, such as the Ghana Health Service, teaching hospitals, etc., to reduce the prevalence of climate- sensitive disease such as malaria, cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM), Wli Waterfalls diarrhoeal disorders and Guinea worm. To address inequalities and disparities in emergency care, disease elimination and eradication, financing policy and health insurance, and quality health care, the implementing agencies, the Departments of Hydrology, Public Ministry has identified priority areas such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, Works, and Rural Housing, carries out climate response measures Guinea worm and communicable diseases such as CSM, as well as for coastal protection and drainage works especially with respect to expanded the programme of immunization and emergency care. floods. MWRWH plans, coordinates and monitors programmes for infrastructural development and water management. Regarding climate change and health, the Ministry is supporting the integration of climate change into the management of priority health risks in Ghana in harmony with national health development Ministry of Food and Agriculture priorities. This is especially important as malaria, diarrhoeal The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is the lead public diseases, meningococcal meningitis and infectious respiratory organization for development of the food and agriculture sector. diseases still remain major causes of mortality and morbidity in MoFA is responsible for policy formulation, programming and Ghana.

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 7 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 coordination within the sector. MoFA also hosts and operates the messages. At the policy level, steps are being taken to develop a national public agricultural extension service. climate change adaptation-mitigation strategy with the aim of For effective implementation of its activities, MoFA is decentralised enhancing the expected outcomes of the implementation of the with clearly outlined responsibilities at each level. At the national METASIP. level, various departments and technical directorates are responsible for policy formulation, national programming, coordination and Ministry of Energy technical support to regions. At the regional level, the major activities are coordination and technical support to district offices. It The Ministry of Energy is responsible for formulating, monitoring is at the district level that extension services are operationalised with and evaluating policies, programmes and projects in the energy a cadre of extension officers. MoFA currently is using a unified sector. It is also the institution charged with the implementation of approach to extension, which demands that extension agents provide the National Electrification Scheme (NES) which seeks to extend information on a wide range of technical issues. the reach of electricity to all communities in the long term. MoFA is currently leading the implementation of a national Food Key objectives of this Ministry are to: and Agriculture Development Policy (FASDEP II) and its  Consolidate and improve existing energy supply system; investment plan, Medium-Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP). The FASDEP and METASIP are the main drivers for  Increase access to modern energy services, especially by the achieving the accelerated modernization of agriculture envisaged poor communities; within the GSGDA. The FASDEP and METASIP have six  Ensure productive and efficient use of energy particularly by policy/programme areas as follows; food security and emergency the rural communities so as to stimulate economic growth preparedness; increased growth in incomes; increased and development; competitiveness and enhanced integration into domestic and  Secure future energy supplies; international markets; sustainable management of land and  Encourage private sector participation in energy environment; application of science and technology in food and infrastructure development; agriculture development; and effective institutional coordination.  Minimize the environmental impact of energy supplies and consumption through increased use of renewable Although climate change and variability was not clearly captured as energy/energy efficiency economies. one of constraints to food and agriculture sector development during the preparation of FASDEP, the six programme areas of the METASIP provide very good entry points for addressing challenges The Energy Commission is one of the key institutions under the posed by climate change and variability. MoFA is already building Ministry and is responsible for: the capacity of extension staff at the regional and district levels to be able to appropriately mainstream climate change in their extension

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 8 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Preparing, reviewing and updating indicative national energy properly available to other research institutions. Current capacity for plans to ensure that all reasonable demands for energy are climate change research remains low, especially in universities and met; their research institutes. This could be attributed to limited  Advising the Minister on national energy policy; incentives and resources available for climate change research. For  Collecting and analyzing energy data for policy advisory and example, many if not all, the universities lack adequate technologies planning purposes; and equipment necessary for research into climate change science.  Licensing and technical regulation of utilities engaged in the The climate change policy development and implementation unit, electricity and natural gas sectors; namely MESTI, benefits little from research conducted due to the  Promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy; poor linkages between research and policy. Moreover, research  Licensing and regulation of renewable energy service results are not modified to suit the level and interests of providers. policymakers. Many institutions do not have the capacity for areas such as climate change scenario modelling and vulnerability The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), on the analysis. other hand, is an independent regulatory agency responsible for the economic regulation of the power sector with the mandate to approve rates for electricity sold by electricity distribution Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection utilities. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection formally known as the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) Ministry of Education was established in January 2001. This was as a result of the realization by government that, there was an urgent need for the The role of the universities in climate change for education, research establishment of a high-level body which would specifically be and capacity-building is worth mentioning. Although there are a responsible for coordinating national response to gender inequality. number of researchers carrying out climate change research in the The Ministry also promotes the implementation of activities that various universities, a research diagnostic shows that there is a address the rights of women and children with the aim of advancing limited coherent approach to climate change and development the status of women and ensuring the growth, survival and research. There seems to be much duplication, but huge development of our children. The Ministry has, since its geographical gaps in coverage, as well as gaps in sectors and establishment, spearheaded national drives to overcome the thematic areas. Methodologies being used do not allow direct inter- challenges of gender inequality. comparison of data. The absence of a national climate change research agenda means that there is a lack of coordination and communication between different research institutes. Hence, project information remains as grey literature rather than being made

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 9 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Ministry of Roads and Highways vulnerability analysis, emergency/disaster response and relief The Ministry of Roads and Highways programming, facilitating models for community-based adaptation was established to provide and to climate change, promoting community consultations and maintain an integrated, cost-effective participation, facilitating CSO mobilisation, and coordinated and sustainable road transport network engagement with the Government on climate change, policy responsive to the needs of users, monitoring, and social accountability for equitable and pro-poor supporting growth and poverty response to climate change. reduction. Its mission is to formulate In recognition of the important role that civil society plays in natural the requisite policies, and monitor and resource and environmental governance in Ghana, the Government evaluate programmes and projects to of Ghana and development partners, under the Natural Resources ensure the provision of an affordable, and Environmental Governance (NREG) framework (initially integrated, safe, responsive and funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the UK sustainable road transport network that Department for International Development (DFID), the European will meet the economic, social and Adomi Bridge Union, the French Development Agency, and the World Bank) environmental needs as well as Source: C.Gordon supported the establishment of a Natural Resources and national and international standards. Environment (NRE) sector-specific support mechanism for civil The Ministry is overseeing the implementation of the Bus Rapid society organisations, to enhance their role and participation for Transit system within Accra to promote a shift to more effective natural resources and environmental governance in Ghana. environmentally sustainable transport modes and lower transport- This NRE CSO support mechanism is currently known as “Kasa”, related greenhouse gas emissions along the pilot bus rapid transit literally meaning “speak out” in Twi. The Kasa framework supports corridor. capacity-building of CSOs, coalitions/networks for coordinated engagement and evidence-based advocacy for transparency, accountability and policy responsiveness in natural resources and 3.1.2 Non-governmental /Civil Society Organizations environmental governance. Currently a wide range of Non-governmental Organizations/Civil Society Organizations (NGOs/CSOs) are involved directly and The NGO/CSO sector faces a number of challenges, including weak indirectly in the climate and development debate in Ghana. Some of technical capacity in climate change, inadequate funding, and poor these NGOs/CSOs implement specific climate change initiatives at coordination. A lot of research has also been carried out by NGOs the community level, as well as engage in climate change policy which is often lost to researchers in academia and likewise research advocacy at national and international levels. Other roles of CSOs in by academia, including climate-change-related research, is not often relation to climate change include: community education and accessible to CSOs for practical application in their projects. delivery of environmental services, research and climate change

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 10 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Climate change needs to be streamlined with avenues for social and physical infrastructure, such as low-emission electricity information sharing made available. generation, use of renewable energy as a means to promote energy CSOs have taken measures to improve self-coordination through the access and enhancing energy efficiency, need to be enhanced. establishment of various platforms, coalitions and networks. For example, in the NRE sector there are over 10 key coalitions/networks (with memberships of over 30 organisations each) addressing the issues on land, oil and gas, mining, forestry, water, fisheries, environment and climate change. However, these and other emerging coalitions/networks need to be supported to enhance their effectiveness in the national response to climate change. As part of addressing the challenges facing CSOs, a dedicated funding and support mechanism for civil society activities on climate change should be considered a key aspect of the national response to climate change. Measures to support the capacity- building of civil society, strengthening coordination, information sharing, and participation in the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and projects on climate change, should be part of the policy response for enhancing the role of civil society on Fuel wood collector at work climate change. Source: C Gordon 3.1.3 Private Sector The adverse impacts of climate change are already being felt in the private sector, particularly in the primary exports of cocoa and timber. Climate change discussions are generally at the level of immediate impacts. The level of interest or engagement, especially by the international private sector (primarily finance and communications companies), remains unclear. The drought in 2007 leading to power cuts due to inadequate hydroelectric power, stimulated widespread discussions on climate-change-related issues. Ways to leverage private sector investment to climate-change-proof

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 11 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 3.2 Legal and Regulatory Framework December 1995, three months after Ghana ratified the Convention, i.e., on 6th September 1995. 3.2.1 International Obligations On November 26th 2002, the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana The 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution of Ghana has made passed a resolution to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The final instrument government accountable to the people of Ghana. The starting point of ratification was deposited at the United Nations Headquarters in for developing the climate change policy for Ghana is therefore the New York in March 2003, thus allowing Ghana to accede to the Constitution from which derives the powers of government and the Kyoto Protocol and hence becoming a Party to it. The Kyoto Ghanaian population at large. Protocol entered into force globally on 16th February 2005. Article 36 (9) of chapter six of the constitution states “the State shall Ghana has been very keen to explore the opportunities presented by take appropriate measures needed to protect and safeguard the climate-change-related challenges. MESTI in particular has sought national environment for posterity; and shall seek cooperation with to ensure that the development agenda of government responds to other states and bodies for purposes of protecting the wider the emerging trends of global warming and to how Ghana could international environment for mankind”. better contribute to the common objective, and to position herself as Ghana is also a party to the following international environment- a leader within the Africa region. related agreements: Convention on Biological Diversity, United Ghana is keen to include climate resilience in its development. In Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, United Nations addition, Ghana is adequately represented at various international Convention to Combat Desertification in those countries conferences on climate change to keep abreast with developments in experiencing serious drought and/or desertification particularly in global and regional thinking and decisions on climate response Africa, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of measures, as have been deliberated and agreed by the parties. Since Wild Fauna and Flora, Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Ghana joined the global community on climate change, the Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, Government has been making strides towards fulfilling its Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movements obligations under the climate change convention and the Kyoto of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, United Nations Protocol. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol, Ghana, in its efforts to internalise international agreements, has International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships enacted the following national legislation amongst others: (MARPOL), International Tropical Timber Agreement, Ramsar  Control and Prevention of Bushfires Act (1990) Convention on Wetlands, and many others.  Energy Efficiency (LI 1815; LI 1932; LI 1937; LI 1958; LI 1970) Ghana joined the global community by signing the UNFCCC in  Environmental Protection Agency Act (1994) June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. The Convention entered into force  Forest Plantation Development Fund Act (2000) globally on 21 March 1994, and specifically for Ghana on 5th

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 12 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Management of Ozone Depleting Substances and Products The basic goal of the NCCAS is to increase Ghana’s resilience to Regulations (2005) climate change impacts now and in the future through improved  Minerals and Mining Act (2006) awareness, effective mainstreaming and consistent efforts to reduce  Pesticides Control and Management Act (1996) vulnerability in natural and social systems. This would be achieved  Renewable Energy Act (2011) by building Ghana’s capacity in the area of infrastructure and  Revised Forest and Wildlife Policy (2012) knowledge to deal with climate change impacts and reduce  Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (2010) vulnerability in key sectors, ecosystems, districts and regions of the country.  Industrial Policy (2011)  Timber Resource Management Act (1998) The Energy Strategy The main aim of the Government’s energy strategy is that of 3.2.2 Existing Policies and Strategies Related to Climate sustainable exploitation and efficient use of the country’s energy Change resources and power production, in order to improve on the quality National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) of life of the people. In this regard, the Government of Ghana aims to pursue only environmentally friendly policies and measures as The preparation of the adaptation strategy has been principally part of efforts to meet her obligations under the Climate Change influenced by, among other factors, (1) Ghana’s commitments under Convention. These include, among others: the UNFCCC to ensure that climate change issues are adequately considered in national development planning, (2) the country’s  Encouraging energy efficiency and conservation practices, a responsiveness to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005– strategy for which the Government set up the Energy 2015 (comprehensive and action-oriented response to international Foundation to lead; concern about the growing impact of disaster on individuals,  Reducing the average wood fuel energy intensity per urban communities and national development, which aims to reduce household by 30% by 2015 and by 50% by 2020 and also, substantially loss of life as well as the social, economic and reducing firewood intensity per rural household by 10% by environmental losses caused to communities), (3) the extent of 2020; added vulnerability to the Ghanaian economy attributed to the  Achieving 1% penetration of solar energy in hotels, current and expected impacts of climate change on the entire society restaurants and institutional kitchens using solar water makes the preparation of the NCCAS important. Initial funding for heaters by 2015, and 5% penetration by 2020; the preparation of the funding was sought from the NREG budget support programme and later complemented by resources from the  Achieving 10% renewable energy contribution by 2010; Climate Change Adaptation and Development Initiative, CCDARE.  Promoting energy efficiency in the transport sector, deregulating the railway system to permit private sector participation in urban passenger and long distance freight

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 13 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 railways systems as well as providing incentives for the international obligations, and broad policy principles. Section 2 promotion of nationwide mass transit transport systems; details the key policy issues related to the basic principles and  Achieving high quality and reliable (95% uninterrupted) challenges of confronting water resources management development electricity supply to the industrial sector per annum by 2015 and use in the three sub-sectors: water resources management, urban and improving reliability to 98% by 2020; water supply, and community water and sanitation. Section 3 outlines proposals and guidelines for implementing the policy  Developing a local market for the industrial use of natural including institutional roles and responsibilities, standards, gas when the West African Gas Project (WAGP) is regulations, definitions and references completed, including displacing residual fuel oil use for heating in most coastal industries by 2015. Sanitation Policy Ghana’s National Environmental Sanitation Policy (ESP) was It is, however, noteworthy that the oil find in Ghana may change the developed in 1999 in consultation with a variety of stakeholders and dynamics of energy demand and supply in country. Also, the Bui covers the broad spectrum of environmental sanitation, including hydroelectric dam, to be completed by 2015, will add significantly solid and liquid waste, industrial and hazardous wastes, storm water to the renewable energy mix of the energy sector. The West African drainage, environmental and hygiene education, vectors of disease, Gas Project is also expected to supply gas to power the thermal and disposal of the dead (Republic of Ghana, 1999). The policy energy component of the energy mix to defray the use of diesel and identifies many of the major problems and constraints in other petroleum products. environmental sanitation, including the lack of assigned roles for governmental bodies, the lack of capacity and skilled professionals National Water Policy at all levels, and the problems associated with the transfer of The National Water Policy of Ghana is intended to provide a responsibilities for environmental sanitation without the framework for the sustainable development of Ghana’s water corresponding budget, personnel, and equipment transfers. The resources. It is targeted at all water users, water managers and policy then lays out its strategy to deal with these problems. investors, decision makers and policymakers within the central Key items in the strategy include: (a) defining the roles and government and decentralised (district assemblies) structures, NGOs responsibilities related to environmental sanitation of institutions and international agencies. The policy also recognises the various from the national ministries down to unit committees, community cross-sectoral issues related to water- use and the links to other organizations, and the individual; (b) the privatization of relevant sectoral policies, such as those on sanitation, agriculture, environmental sanitation services; (c) the creation a National transport, energy, etc. Environmental Sanitation Policy Coordinating Council (NESPCC) The policy is organized into three sections. Section 1 presents the and a District Environmental Sanitation Fund; and (d) the phasing overview of Ghana’s water sector comprising the state of water out of pan latrines. resources and management institutions, development priorities,

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 14 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Various Related MDA Action Plans Several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have produced plans for climate change response, e.g., the Ghana Plan of Action for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (2011–2015) by NADMO. Where relevant, these plans have been taken into account in the NCCP.

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 15 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Section Four: Themes and Strategic Focus Areas for the National Climate Change Policy

Section 3 Policy Implementation Arrangements 3 - 16 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Contents of Section Four Key Messages POLICY THEMES AND STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS o The NCCP has five prioritized policy areas with a 4-1 total of ten programme areas which will address the fundamentally critical issues of climate change facing 4.1 Agriculture and Food Security 4-1 Ghana. Focus Area 1: Develop climate resilient agriculture and food systems 4-1 o Effective agricultural policies will not only improve food security, but will contribute synergistically to a 4.2 Disaster Preparedness and Response 4-4 healthy ecosystem. Focus Area 2: Build Climate Resilient Infrastructure 4-4 o Investments required for increasing resilience of Focus Area 3: Increase Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Related Risks 4-6 infrastructure and communities are initially high, but can withstand adverse climatic pressures and result in 4.3 Natural Resource Management 4-8 major financial benefits in the long term. Focus Area 4: Increase Carbon Sinks 4-8 o Improved ecosystems and environmental management Focus Area 5: Improve Management and Resilience of Terrestrial and practices result in greater agro-biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems 4-10 increased carbon sequestration. 4.4 Equitable Social Development 4-12 o Optimizing physical, socioeconomic, gender and Focus Area 6: Addressing Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health technological factors improves the capability of social 4-12 groups to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Focus Area 7: Minimise Impacts of Climate Change on Access to Water and Sanitation 4-15 o Investing in more efficient systems and upgrading Focus Area 8: Addressing Gender Issues in Climate Change 4-17 existing structures would cut greenhouse gas Focus Area 9: Address Climate Change and Migration 4-20 emissions, yet still drive economic growth. 4.5 Energy, Industrial and Infrastructural Development 4-22

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 0 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 4.0 Policy Themes and Strategic Focus Areas Principles Based on the key thematic areas identified by the consultative The key principles are the: process, five main policy areas have been prioritized with a total of  Understanding that sustainability of natural resources, ten programme areas which will address the fundamentally critical including land, forest, water and genetic biodiversity is issues. These target the broad scope of climate change impacts and significantly influenced by agricultural practices. response in Ghana and address the emission of greenhouse gases  Need for sustainable agricultural systems as the fundamental (GHGs) and loss of carbon sinks. basis for achieving national food security and poverty • Agriculture and Food Security reduction. • Disaster Preparedness and Response • Natural Resource Management Key Challenges • Equitable Social Development Major challenges that afflict the agricultural sector include: • Energy, Industrial and Infrastructural Development  Inadequate human resource and managerial skills  Insecure land tenure rights 4.1 Agriculture and Food Security  Limited credit facilities, particularly for input purchases Focus Area 1: Develop Climate-resilient Agriculture and  Inadequate investment in agricultural research Food Security Systems  Limited basic infrastructure especially in rural areas, such as Ghana’s agriculture and food production systems are based on roads and transport, access to markets, and storage facilities exploitation of natural resources, with extensive crop and livestock  Crop failure due to weather variability and unpredictability production systems, rain-fed agriculture, hunting, and fishing from  Unsustainable agricultural practices such as the progressive natural water bodies. Climate change, in addition to non-climate reduction in fallow lengths drivers such as soil degradation, land tenure arrangements and poor  Continued reliance on cyclical “slash and burn” methods to technology, is expected to have significant impacts on these maintain soil fertility resource-dependant sectors, and consequently food security. Having  Increasing incidence of alien disease and pests as a result of effective agricultural policies will not only improve food security changes in temperature and humidity but will also contribute synergistically to carbon sequestration,  High mortality rates of livestock due to disease and poor enhanced conservation and biodiversity, improved quality of soil management practices and water, protection of the watershed, healthier natural ecosystems  Loss of viable agricultural lands as a result of land as well as socio-economic stability. degradation (e.g., due to overgrazing, soil compaction, mining, bush fires and over-harvesting of fuel wood) and

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 1 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 urban development, vis-à-vis urban and peri-urban  Build and strengthen the capacity of extension officers in agriculture climate smart-agriculture to enhance support to farmers and fishermen  Competition between agricultural land and other land uses  Promote capacity-building for farmers and fisherfolk and  Potential threats of “land grabbing” for biofuel production build awareness on climate change issues  Food insecurity and shortages due to degrading soil quality  Build capacity for community-level weather data collection, and decreased productivity analysis and dissemination for agricultural planning  Limited irrigation development and poor management  Document and promote appropriate indigenous knowledge  Limited technology development for processing, and best practices transporting, handling and storage of crop produce, fish and  Develop climate-resilient cropping and livestock systems as livestock products well as crop varieties and livestock breeds tolerant to  Weak enforcement of environmental management for flooding, drought and salinity agricultural, land use and fishing activities  Promote diversified land use practices, including agro-  Declining fish catch as a result of overfishing and forestry, dry-land farming, urban/backyard vegetable inappropriate fishing practices (e.g., fishing with light, production, to reduce risk and increase the capacity of poison or dynamite, small net sizes, pair-trawling, etc.) farmers to cope with droughts and floods  Destruction of fish breeding sites through over-exploitation  Prepare and enforce spatial plans to address conflicts of mangroves between peri-urban agriculture and human settlements  Limited recycling of agricultural waste.  Improve productivity through improved farming technologies and practices, such as the integration of trees Policy Objectives into farming systems, integrated nutrient management under The key objectives of this policy option are to: various crops, green/organic farming, etc.  Develop climate-resilient agriculture and food systems for  Promote and support agricultural diversification (livestock – all agro-ecological zones crop integration as well as management practices) as a  Develop human resource capacity for climate-resilient coping strategy and for income generation agriculture.  Design and implement programmes on fisheries management and disease control, which integrate climatic Policy Actions and hydrological parameters Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to:  Provide sustained support in the use of simple agronomic  Improve and harmonize research activities in climate-smart soil and water conservation measures (e.g., agro-forestry, agriculture crop rotation, tied ridging, mulching, contour earth mounds, vegetative barriers and improved fallow)

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 2 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Promote appropriate technologies for small-scale irrigation, water re-use and water harvesting (e.g., waste/water recycling), rainwater harvesting, etc.  Improve efficiency of farming practices through secure land tenure, effective pricing policies and access to credit  Institute risk transfer schemes (e.g., insurance) against local supply changes, harvest failure or weather risk  Promote alternative livelihood systems to diversify incomes, such as beekeeping, poultry production, piggery, snail rearing, mushroom cultivation, sustainable aquaculture, etc.  Improve post-harvest capacity, e.g., storage and processing facilities and infrastructure  Build capacity for recycling and conversion of agricultural Assassin bug: predators are used in integrated pest management waste Source: C. Gordon  Improve marketing policies that increase competitiveness for the doMESTIic and international market. Programme Areas for Focus Area 1: Develop Climate-resilient Agriculture and Food Systems P1. Institutional capacity development for research and dissemination P2. Development and promotion of climate-resilient cropping systems P3. Adaptation of livestock production systems P4. Support to adaptation in the fisheries sub-sector P5. Support to water conservation and irrigation systems P6. Risk transfer and alternative livelihood systems P7. Improved post-harvest management P8. Improved marketing policies

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 3 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 4.2 Disaster Preparedness and Response  Poverty, especially urban poverty, results in habitation of marginalized areas Focus Area 2: Build Climate-resilient Infrastructure  Poor climate-proof construction/design of infrastructure Infrastructure plays a critical role in building the resilience of a town  Absence of climate change parameters in building codes or community to climatic events and climate change. In Ghana,  Limited numbers of architects and artisans designing vulnerability to climate change is spatially and socially “climate-proof” infrastructure differentiated, with potential impacts on infrastructure such as roads,  Negative attitudes towards disaster-resistant infrastructural dams, power distribution lines, homes and settlements. Coastal designs infrastructure also requires additional interventions such as coastal  Poor drainage systems and siltation of river beds and sea defence walls to decrease their vulnerability to sea level rise.  Settlements and farms located in flood plains and low-lying The direct impacts of floods, droughts, landslides, and urban and areas coastal hazards may also affect infrastructure directly, indirectly  Absence of proper flood management systems (where design is poor or inadequate), or in the long term where  Improper disposal of solid waste that chokes drains and changes in temperature and rainfall patterns may, for example, affect worsens flooding conditions energy demands or water flows for hydropower. Although  Increasing coastal erosion leading to destruction of investments required for infrastructure projects are initially high, infrastructure and exposure to more turbulent waves. those that are robust enough to withstand adverse climatic pressures can result in major financial benefits in the long term. Policy Objectives Principles The key objectives of this policy option are to: The main principles are that:  Improve the understanding of how appropriate infrastructure can reduce vulnerability and risk to climate-related events  The development of infrastructure and associated facilities has a direct influence on the sustainable development of the nation.  Build climate-resilient infrastructure to protect inland and coastal communities, ecosystems and services.  Incorporating climate-resilient codes into basic infrastructure will significantly reduce the vulnerability of the nation to climate change risks. Policy Actions Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to: Key Challenges  Improve technical and institutional capacity through The following factors currently challenge the achievement of research support and training climate-resilient infrastructure:

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 4 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Conduct research on appropriate infrastructure design  Ensure that rural communities have reliable access to standards that meet higher requirements against extreme markets, key services and lifeline facilities weather-related natural hazard events  Develop climate-resilient standards for key coastal  Improve hydro-meteorological observation networks to infrastructure and protection of coastal communities from provide better climate data and information, and storm surges, coastal flooding and sea-level rise. communicate early warning of natural hazards  Collect relevant data on coastal zone geomorphology, Programme Areas for Focus Area 2: Build Climate-resilient surface water flows and groundwater for modelling coastal Infrastructure flooding P1. Building capacity to design climate-resilient infrastructure  Provide enabling policy environment to ensure climate P2. Knowledge management and coordination resilience in urban planning, construction codes and P3. Climate-resilient sectoral and local development planning management P4. Ensuring that existing key infrastructure is climate proof  Revise design standards, building codes and spatial planning P5. Flood prevention activities to include climate change parameters P6. Development of climate-resilient infrastructure for key  Climate-proof important infrastructure that provide key services services so that communities are less exposed and P7. Protection of coastal resources and communities vulnerable during extreme events  Construct proper storm drainage systems, riverbank protection, buffer zones, and undertake afforestation along embankments and other measures to reduce flooding  Construct channels, water collecting reservoirs and dams to contain floods and store water for the dry season  Encourage relocation of settlements and economic activities from climate-related disaster-prone areas  Use information and communication technologies (ICT) in monitoring climate events and providing an early warning system  Develop and implement strategies to change systems and make people adapted to climate change, e.g., harvesting rainwater and storage of grains can aid communities in Nzulenzu, well adapted to annual flooding of the Amanzule wetlands adapting Source: JKM

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 5 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Focus Area 3: Increase Resilience of Vulnerable  Poor individual capabilities and high dependence on natural Communities to Climate-related Risks resources Climate change intensifies the risk of climate-related disasters and  Slow economic growth and increased cost of living leads to increased loss of lives, livelihoods and assets, which also  Poverty and unemployment interferes with the economic and social development of the country.  Increasing population and unplanned urbanization Vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, the aged, children, youth  Coastal inundation and erosion which has displaced and women, are particularly affected as they have poorer coping settlements mechanisms. Disaster risk strategies increase the resilience of social  Increased conflicts around resources especially land. systems by minimizing the risk of exposure to future hazards, and reducing the vulnerability of communities and their property. Effective disaster management measures protect vulnerable communities and improve their resilience to losses associated with the direct impacts of floods, droughts, landslides, fires and storm surges; as well as to indirectly caused disasters such as loss of harvest, disease outbreaks, health epidemics and conflicts over natural resources. Principles The key principles are that:  The access of an individual or community to physical or social assets and resources gives a fair representation of their vulnerability to climate change.  Vulnerability of groups to climate change is not uniform Flooded homes at Buipe throughout the country due to varying physical, socio- Source: R. Ottou economic and technological characteristics, and as such resilience measures differ according to social groups and Policy Objectives sectors. The key objectives of this policy option are to:  Establish various measures to protect livelihoods and assets Key Challenges of vulnerable communities from climate-related risks, in The key sources of vulnerability of communities include: both inland and coastal zones  Build local capacities to reduce risk and vulnerability.  Poor institutional structures and poor governance

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 6 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Policy Actions  Improve public adaptation strategies, including provision of Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to: wells, boreholes and road infrastructure, land tenure administration reform, education, etc.  Document and improve community-based early warning systems for natural disasters and effective dissemination,  Support livelihood activities in rural and urban areas in especially at the local level in local languages order to improve output and income of vulnerable communities  Promote timely use of strategic information to targeted areas  Promote development of modern information management  Enhance awareness of financial instruments to protect systems investments and assets  Enhance access to public information  Provide supportive social safety nets for communities [  Increase investment in social services and infrastructure,  Create an enabling environment for media which can also be supported by public-private partnership in  Improve awareness and provide skills training to ensure service provision preparedness on climate change and adaptation strategies  Strengthen traditional social support systems  Avoid mal-adaptation by reversing trends that increase vulnerability  Include a focus on the vulnerability of migrants in urban strategic planning  Rationalize a system of incentives, deterrents and alternatives for behavioural change  Promote conflict resolution mechanisms.  Strengthen the institutional framework for disaster risk response and management Programme Areas for Focus Area 3: Increase Resilience of  Enhance institutional capacity of agencies in disaster risk Vulnerable Communities to Climate-related Risks management, especially the National Disaster Management P1. Early warning mechanism Organization (NADMO) P2. Public education and adaptation skills  Improve technical capacity and facilities for, as well as P3. Rapid response and disaster management accessibility to communities of, rapid response to disasters P4. Improved key public social services and disaster management P5. Financial support and insurance schemes  Facilitate regular interaction between community members P6. Social support systems and the State and NGOs on emerging problems and best practices  Reinforce partnership among government and humanitarian agencies and strengthen their capacity to respond in emergencies, including through community networks

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 7 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 4.3 Natural Resource Management  Heavy dependence on charcoal and wood fuel for rural and urban energy Focus Area 4: Increase Carbon Sinks  High demand for wood and forest products on the Ghana’s forest and woodland resources provide diverse economic international market products and environmental services. As natural sinks and stores of  Weak enforcement of forest policy and governance, carbon, these ecosystems contribute to the biological mitigation of including poor regulatory mechanisms, excessive central GHGs through the sequestration of gases. Although on a much control, rights regimes and conflicting government policies smaller scale, mangroves also contain substantial carbon stocks.  Policy/market failures in the timber sectors including illegal Afforestation, reforestation and restoration of natural habitats, as logging and chainsaw activities, growing domestic demand, well as more efficient mechanisms for the use of wood fuel energy, inefficient logging and milling industries, a forest royalty will improve and consequently minimize the loss of carbon storage system that does not price trees at their real economic value and sinks. Improved ecosystems and environmental management  Uncertain arrangements for land ownership and practices not only provide economic gains and improved ecological administrations, especially tree ownership and user rights services, but also result in greater agro-biodiversity and increased  Mineral exploitation and mining carbon sequestration.  Oil exploration  Uncontrollable wildfires that follow the dry season or severe Principles droughts. The main principle is:  Recognizing the important role of natural ecosystems in Policy Objectives carbon capture and storage, and as an important emission The key objectives of this policy option are to: source when they are destroyed.  Minimise the loss of carbon sinks by reducing activities that lead to the destruction of natural ecosystems, especially Key Challenges forest degradation and deforestation The drivers of the increasing destruction of natural carbon sinks,  Enhance carbon stocks through programmes that restore especially of the forests, include: degraded forests and other natural ecosystems.  Uncontrolled settlement and agricultural expansion linked to increasing population, inadequate spatial plans and poor Policy Actions enforcement of spatial plans in both urban and rural areas Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to:  Increasing local demand for agricultural and wood products  Strengthen institutional and technical capacity in natural resource management

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 8 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Promote alternative sources of fuel for domestic use, especially in rural areas, e.g., LPG as an alternative to wood fuel, etc.  Promote, through increased funding and opportunities, plantation development and management in off-reserve areas for private and public-private partnerships  Rehabilitate degraded natural ecosystems through enrichment planting in degraded forest reserves and off-reserve areas  Support initiatives for the enhancement of carbon sinks through afforestation/reforestation measures, including Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT), the Non Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (NLBI), REDD+ and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)  Support agro-forestry programmes initiated to conserve trees in association with crops  Promote the establishment and consolidation of bio-reserves and buffers of forest  Reinforce local community involvement in resource management  Encourage diversification from natural-resource-based activities into non-farm activities such as trading Big trees can store significant amounts of carbon Source: C. Gordon Programme Areas for Focus Area 4: Increase Carbon Sinks P1. Improved governance, capacity and regulatory structures  Improve legislation to effectively address land use rights and land P2. Secure integrity of forest and other natural ecosystems tenure systems P3. Sustainable wood fuel production and development of  Improve regulatory mechanisms to reduce illegal logging and alternative biofuel sources for domestic energy supply chainsaw lumbering P4. Plantation development (afforestation, reforestation and  Reduce the pressure on forests and mangroves for wood fuels by forest restoration) improving the efficiency of production, harvesting, conversion P5. Conservation of trees through sustainable forestry and on- and use of wood fuels, e.g., improved efficiency in cook stoves, farm practices community/family woodlot programmes, charcoal producer associations, community land use and natural resource planning

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 9 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Focus Area 5: Improve Management and Resilience of  Increased eutrophication and pollution of water bodies from Terrestrial, Aquatic and Marine Ecosystems municipal, agricultural and industrial activities Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their ecosystem services not  Large- and small-scale mining for minerals, including illegal only provide natural resources and sources of livelihood to sustain mining activities resulting in land degradation and depletion communities, but are important socially for medicinal, cultural, of forests and rivers religious and recreational purposes. Sustainable management of  Lack of effective waste and recycling infrastructure/policies these resources contributes towards the maintenance of ecological resulting in the indiscriminate disposal of wastes functions and biodiversity, as well as generating food, income, medicine, and foreign exchange for local communities. With the increasing threat of weather-related hazards, the destruction of natural buffer systems such as coastal wetlands, mangroves and forests will also increase the vulnerability of communities to storms or flooding events. The conservation and restoration of these natural systems is therefore also essential for ecosystem protective services. Principles The main principles under this thematic area are:  The recognition that climate change will intensify poverty and environmental degradation and their linkages.  The need to maintain the integrity of terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, recognizing their value in the provision Provision of bushmeat is an important service that forests provide of ecosystem services. Source: C. Gordon Key Challenges  Fragmented environmental legislation and poor governance Increasing loss of habitats and reduced floral and faunal biodiversity due to poor coordination of management between  Extensive land degradation and loss of vegetative cover departments, including contradictory policies and activities leading to desertification, especially in Northern Ghana  Settlement in flood plain areas leading to increased siltation  Wetland ecosystem and marine resource degradation due to and sedimentation of water bodies development activities resulting in loss of mangroves, migratory birds and marine turtles.

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 10 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Policy Objectives  Establish ecological networks or biological corridors to link The key objective of this policy option is to: fragmented forests, e.g., the establishment of Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) or linking up with  Ensure effective management and conservation of terrestrial, existing CREMAs for synergy aquatic and marine ecosystems by appropriate agencies to improve the resilience of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to  Promote afforestation to enhance dry season flows in basins climate change.  Encourage the protection of river courses, and de-sedimentation of reservoirs  Promote the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part Policy Actions of the adaptation strategy to climate change Key interventions for achieving this objective is to:  Promote economic and social incentive measures for successful  Improve the management of important ecosystems and hotspots natural resource management.  Promote effective spatial planning and land zoning, mapping and production of land resource management plans at all levels Programme Areas for Focus Area 5: Improve Management and  Support local, national and international policies that encourage Resilience of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems management of terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems  Improve mechanisms for fair and equitable sharing of natural P1. Improved governance and natural resource management resource benefits, including defining tenure rights, minimizing P2. Community-based natural resource management the encroachment on forest reserves and reducing conflict over P3. Economic incentive measures permitted farms and communities, P4. Ecosystem-based adaptation  Support scientific research, including traditional and indigenous knowledge, monitoring, and collaboration with national and international institutions  Improve knowledge capacity for effective management of natural resources, for example through sustained extension activities in soil and water conservation  Apply technologies to provide information for detection and early warning systems for weather-related hazards  Support awareness creation and dissemination programmes  Encourage and promote community-based activities to improve land and water quality Intensive farming in river buffer zones and dry river beds at Tamale Source: C. Gordon

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 11 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 4.4 Equitable Social Development diseases which are affected by changes in weather/climatic variables Although climate change is a process involving changes in physical such as CSM are likely to be affected by climate change. climatic variables, it is influenced by social processes that relate to the way society evolves through time. The capability of social groups to adapt to and mitigate climate change depends on physical, socio-economic, gender and technological factors. Climate change increases the vulnerability of the poor in the areas of water supply, exposure to disease, increasing sensitivity of livelihood activities. Marginalised groups such as poor women, the aged, the physically challenged and children are at risk of being most affected by climate change and variability due to insufficient access to basic resources such as land, water, basic services and knowledge. The social dimension, which influences physical and economic dimensions, propels vulnerability to climate change. Vulnerability has also been discovered to be influenced by other factors such as geography, regional development levels, socio-economic conditions, and social differentiation, which also includes health status, migrant status and gender. Depending on the extent and varying degree to which these factors have an impact on different communities, adaptation practices by households also vary according to livelihood group and asset-holding level. Distribution of meningitis cases and mean air temperature Source: Ghana second Communication to UNFCCC Focus Area 6: Address Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health Primarily, diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera are driven by poor sanitation as shown by relative distribution in areas burdened by Climate change will have direct and indirect impacts on human inadequate sanitation; these drivers could be exacerbated by climate health. Direct impacts are observed for vector-borne and water- variability and long-term climate change. Increases in frequency of related diseases such as malaria and Guinea-worm. These diseases cholera outbreaks have been observed during rainy seasons as a are likely to exhibit changes in distribution and or incidence based result of runoff into surface water sources, and during dry periods as on changing temperature and humidity which make conditions more a result of limited water supplies leading to use of unsafe sources. or less favourable for the proliferation of the vectors. Other airborne

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 12 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Floods also affect access to safe water by contaminating and/or diseases, especially climate-related ones such as malaria and limiting access to safe sources. diarrhoea  Poor health infrastructure (including transport and ICT) and poor Indirect impacts on health include potential increases in injuries, emergency response systems hunger and malnutrition as a result of droughts and other extreme  Inadequate funds and unpredictable flow of funds for service weather events. Systems need to be put in place to minimize the delivery: health financing is still a major challenge direct as well as the indirect impacts of climate change on human  Weak collaboration and partnership within the health sector and health and livelihoods, as well as improve resilience in the face of other sectors as a result of weak mechanisms for policy dialogue unavoidable change. among stakeholders  Emerging challenges associated with the National Health Insurance Scheme and the lack of attention to climate concerns Principles under the scheme The key principles are:  Fragmented health programmes which impede coordination in  Recognizing that climate change will place additional challenges the health sector on the health care system, which requires adequate resources.  Poor communication between the mainstream and traditional  Ensuring that there is equitable access to quality health care health care providers irrespective of socio-economic status.  Climate change concerns not currently mainstreamed into health issues. Key Challenges The main challenges that affect health include: Policy Objectives  Inadequate national data to provide complete and reliable The key objectives of this policy option are to: information on the impacts of climate change on health, e.g., on  Identify and improve data recording, reporting, analysis and CSM storage of climate-sensitive diseases at all levels of service  Poor health-seeking behaviours among many Ghanaians delivery  Unequal access to health care delivery systems across Ghana,  Enhance knowledge and sensitize the health sector on the including limited expansion of facilities that leave many areas impacts of climate change including issues for vulnerable without basic health services, especially the rural and peri-urban groups such as the aged, women and children areas  Minimize the impacts of climate change on health in  Inadequate control of and access to productive resources communities whilst strengthening public health care  Poor environmental sanitation and access to adequate water at delivery and preventive care. the community level increases the risk and persistence of

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 13 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Policy Actions Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to:  Establish community health groups and development of capacity to identify health risks and facilitate access to services and decision makers  Strengthen technical capacity to manage climate-change- related health risks  Strengthen disease surveillance systems through early warning  Improve data sharing and develop health information management systems for diseases including climate-sensitive diseases at all levels of the health delivery system  Improve partnerships between relevant ministries and other stakeholders to improve access to potable water, instead of direct dependence on natural water bodies, and environmental sanitation Fetching water: Western Region  Map disease incidence and identification of vulnerable groups Source: C Gordon for climate-sensitive diseases  Strengthen existing units within the health delivery system to Programme Areas for Focus Area 6: Address Impacts of manage climate-related epidemics  Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to improve nutrition Climate Change on Human Health through increased food processing capacity, food banks, P1. Capacity-building of health care providers and groups nutrition education, and food storage and quality control P2. Research and improved data management and storage  Improve surveillance systems for existing and new disease risks P3. Strengthened disease surveillance and response systems and ensure health care systems are geared up to meet future P3. Improved public health measures (immunization, improved demands drainage, sanitation and hygiene) especially in vulnerable  Mainstream climate change health risks into decision-making at communities local and national health policy levels P4. Emergency health preparedness, e.g., provision of  Identify, document and incorporate climate-relevant traditional ambulances in vulnerable areas knowledge into health delivery systems and practices P5. Collaboration and partnerships for improved nutrition, water  Develop structures to effectively manage and disseminate and sanitation information on climate change health risks. P6. Social protection and improved access to health care

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 14 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Focus Area 7: Minimise Impacts of Climate Change on consequence of saline intrusion. There is a need for more policy Access to Water and Sanitation dialogue on the linkage and potential impact of climate change on the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project and Water Water availability is critical for human needs as well as for Resources Management (WRM) sectors by stakeholders, especially agricultural and livelihood activities and access to energy. Both at the regional, district and community levels. surface water and groundwater resources are important in Ghana. Generally speaking, rural populations in Ghana rely on groundwater resources, while urban populations use surface water sources. Reductions in precipitation, which are already being observed and which are expected to continue as a result of climate change, will have a negative impact on surface and groundwater sources, potentially limiting availability. Climate change will affect water availability for domestic use, industrial applications, and hydroelectric generation. Domestic water availability is already a big issue in many communities in Ghana, due mainly to technical inefficiencies in coping with increasing urbanization and physical availability of water. Sanitation is an even bigger problem. In 2008, 82% of the population was drinking from an improved source; only 13% of the population, however, was using an improved sanitation facility as at 2008. This indicates that the country is off track to meeting its sanitation target by 2015. On the other hand, open defecation had declined marginally from 24.4% in 2006 to 23.1% in 2008. This includes Waste in watercourse at Old Fadama, Accra defecation into drains, fields, streams, bush and on the beaches. Source: C. Gordon Flooding and heavy rainfall may lead to contamination of water with chemicals, heavy metals or other hazardous substances, either from Principles landfills or from chemicals already in the environment (e.g., The key principles are that: pesticides). Flooding of landfills may furthermore result in  Recognizing that climate change will affect the fundamental breakdown of leachate collection systems and control systems for right of all Ghanaians to access to safe and adequate water to greenhouse gases. Climate change may cause reductions in meet basic human needs as well as improved sanitation. groundwater recharge as well as runoff, in addition to rendering  Ensuring that there is equitable access to quality health care water for drinking and agriculture purposes unsuitable as a irrespective of socio-economic status.

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 15 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Key Challenges Policy Objectives The following challenges are enhancing the effect of climate change The objectives of this policy option are to: on the water and sanitation sectors:  Deliver climate-resilient practices in the management of  Inadequate human or financial capacity and logistics for water resources, in the delivery of water supply, and in necessary water resources management of the river basins of demand management Ghana  Enhance the management and development of water  Inadequate and inefficient water harvesting systems Farming resources to ensure that the vulnerable in particular have along river banks causing siltation and reducing the carrying access to adequate and potable water and storage capacities of the rivers  Improve the management of existing waste disposal sites to  Pollution of water sources through indiscriminate discharge control greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater of wastes (solid/liquid) from domestic, commercial and contamination and take into account the possible effects of industrial (mining) activities, including threat of use of climate change in the design and construction of new ones. wetlands and watercourses as waste disposal sites  Insufficient research on climate change and waste disposal Policy Actions  Inadequate funds to pay private solid waste contractors Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to:  Inability to effectively monitor environmental sanitation due  Develop rainwater harvesting and increased use of shallow to the unavailability of accurate and timely data on sanitation wells, dugout ponds and dams for water use  Access to improved sanitation more prevalent in urban than  Make water accessible for domestic, agricultural, industrial, in rural areas (26 % of the population still have to rely on pit and commercial use and energy production or pan latrines, if used at all. Close to 85 % of all refuse generated in Ghana is currently not collected or disposed of  Recycle water for domestic and industrial purposes in a proper manner)  Develop efficient irrigation drainage systems to increase  Lack of intense and sustained public education on sanitation return flows  Problem of land acquisition for public waste disposal  Build capacity in water resources management in relevant sectors  “Not in my backyard” syndrome (Nimby syndrome)  Promote water supply and sanitation delivery practices that  Inadequate law enforcement build resilience to climate change  Insufficient recycling plants e.g. for plastic waste  Develop and introduce flood and drought monitoring and  Inadequate inter-institutional cooperation and collaboration. control systems  Develop and implement environmental sanitation strategies to adapt to climate change

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 16 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Strengthen District Assemblies to assume a central role in Focus Area 8: Addressing Gender Issues in Climate Change supporting community management of water and sanitation Gender equality is an important precondition for successful climate facilities change adaptation and mitigation responses and equitable social  Reduce methane from landfills through waste reduction and development. Due to existing gender inequalities and discriminatory recycling practices, climate change does not affect women and men in the  Improve construction of hydropower schemes, irrigation same way. Thus there are gender-differentiated impacts on society systems and water supply infrastructure to improve efficiency that vary between regions, generations, ages, classes, income  Implement drinking water and sanitation programmes in areas groups, occupations and along gender lines. Women are the major at risk from climate change (e.g., coastal areas, flood- and producers, but they face discrimination in decision-making and drought-prone areas) employment, and have unequal access to resources such as land,  Provide economic incentives to manage water resources credit, technology and information. Particularly at risk are poor including watersheds to furnish a sustainable and clean supply urban and rural women who live in densely populated coastal and of water in addition to other ecosystem services and climate low-lying areas, drylands and high mountainous areas. Vulnerable benefits groups, such as older women, the physically challenged, and  Improve the status of environmental sanitation through children, are also of concern. strengthening of institutions and enforcement of laws Safety nets and insurance for social protection are essential to national adaptation plans as part of equitable social development. Programme Areas for Focus Area 7: Minimise Impacts of Many women, however, do not have access to health care facilities Climate Change on Access to Water and Sanitation and social security. Women have the right to adequate standards of living, housing and communications as well as immediate shelters P1. Environmental sanitation education and hygiene during crisis situations due to natural disasters, but women often education face inequality and discrimination in access to these. P2. Improved access to safe drinking water P3. Research Sex-disaggregated data, gender-sensitive policies and programme P4. Construction of water storage systems guidelines are necessary to protect women’s rights to personal P5. Improved drainage in urban areas security and sustainable livelihoods. Policies that support gender P6. Recycling equality in access, use and control over science and technology, P7. Waste re-use and reduction e.g., composting, biogas formal and informal education and training will enhance the nation’s P8. Improved access to sanitation facilities capability in disaster reduction, mitigation and adaptation to climate P9. Water and land management change. There is a need to take into account social and economic conditions and other relevant factors. Gender equality, including equal

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 17 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 participation of women and men as well as allowing for the Principles differentiated impacts on women and men from climate change and The key principles are: its response measures, should be taken into account in line with  Recognising that climate change will affect gender relations, and various national policies on women's rights and gender equality. the need to integrate gender considerations into all issues of the Gender equality is essential to the successful initiation, climate change agenda. implementation, monitoring and evaluation of climate change  Addressing gender inequality is about addressing unequal power policies. Women are not just helpless victims of climate change, relations between women and men, boys and girls and other however; they are also powerful agents of change and their social groups. knowledge and leadership is critical. There is a need, therefore, to ensure that climate change and disaster risk reduction measures are  The need to recognise that gender and other social relations are gender responsive, sensitive to local knowledge systems and respect context-specific, change over time and have differential impacts human rights. Women’s right to participate at all levels of decision- on men, women, boys, girls and other vulnerable groups. making must also be guaranteed in climate change policies and programmes. Key Challenges The following challenges currently inhibit the integration of gender issues into climate change responses:  Overdependence on natural resources due to insufficient access to alternative livelihood opportunities  Low female literacy rates  Unfavourable land tenure systems  Lack of useful methodologies to measure climate change impacts by gender at local, national and international levels  Knowledge gaps, particularly in areas where the specific impacts of climate change on women and men are not immediately obvious, such as transport and infrastructure, energy access, housing, formal or informal employment  Lack of access to resources such as finance and technology- based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation  Unequal participation in climate change decision-making processes. Training of women for disaster risk reduction Source: R. Kutin-Mensah

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 18 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Policy Objectives  Identify and analyse gender-specific needs, impacts, The objectives of this policy option are to: protection and support measures related to climate change and variability such as floods, droughts and diseases  Promote equal opportunities and affirmative action for women and vulnerable groups in climate change adaptation  Promote gender equitable financing as a means of and mitigation through mainstreaming gender issues into responding to the differential impacts of climate change by national and sub-national climate-change-related policies gender. This will require establishing clear mechanisms for integrating a gender dimension into the design,  Increase knowledge and strengthen capacity at all levels on implementation and monitoring of all climate funds gender-responsive climate change policies, strategies and  Increase the resilience of vulnerable groups, including programmes. women and children, through the development of community-led adaptation, livelihood diversification, better Policy Actions access to basic services and social protection (safety nets, Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to: insurance)  Ensure the integration of gender equality principles in all  Integrated biomass strategies for food, fuel, fodder, and other social policies such as education, health, water and sanitation basic needs including income generation  Generate gender-specific information including sex-  Promote effective and equal participation of men and women disaggregated data for determining the gender impacts of in climate change policy and decision-making processes climate change  Strengthen the implementation of gender responsiveness in  Develop effective gender and climate change goals and disaster risk management. gender-sensitive indicators  Collaborate with CSOs, especially women's rights Programme Areas for Focus Area 8: Address Gender Issues in organisations and coalitions, in climate change discussions Climate Change and processes P1. Gender-responsive climate change research  Build the capacity of the relevant institutions to mainstream P2. Livelihood protection and alternative livelihoods and poverty gender issues into climate change policy formulation, reduction planning, monitoring and evaluation P3. Budget allocation on gender issues and climate change  Prepare and implement gender and climate change Gender-responsive disaster risk reduction and management P4. mainstreaming strategic plans by institutions, which would (GRDRRM) provide a sound basis for evaluating the extent of gender mainstreaming

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 19 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Focus Area 9: Address Climate Change and Migration leave environmentally fragile areas for ecologically better places or to urban areas where they join mostly the informal sector. The The drivers of migration can be conceptualized into five categories, northern savannah has the highest rate of out-migration, mostly to namely; the transition and forest zones. Critically, migration may not be a 1. Economic: including employment opportunities and income detrimental phenomenon if policymakers plan for it and ensure the differential between places. necessary infrastructure is in place. 2. Political: conflict, security, land ownership. 3. Demographic: size and structure of populations in source areas, prevalence of diseases that affect morbidity and Principles mortality. The key principles are that: 4. Social: familial or cultural expectations, the search for  Climate change will have different degrees of influence on educational opportunities and cultural practices regarding, the different drivers of migration. for example, inheritance or marriage.  Carefully planned and proactive migration can represent a 5. Environmental: exposure to hazards and availability of significant and effective adaptation to potentially difficult ecosystem services. conditions.  Migration, including that influenced by climate change, can Of these, economic and social factors are perceived as having the amplify political or geopolitical problems, and in particular greatest effect on the volume and patterns of migration, although the can raise tensions and interact in problematic ways leading to interactions between these drivers are equally important in conflict in destination areas. determining migration outcomes. Climate change is expected to exacerbate these drivers of migration with the potential to increase Key Challenges the volume of out-migration in particular from rural to urban areas.  Absence of institutional regulatory framework for effective Migrants moving to cities are often among the most vulnerable. management of migration for development Migrants also tend to be marginalised in planning for the future.  Increasing trend of irregular migration which can result in the They are often low-skilled, and are concentrated in high-density loss of lives housing, and in informal settlements, potentially causing further vulnerabilities; increasing incidences of diseases; unemployment;  Low involvement of migrants in development activities limited availability and access to basic services; increased pressure  Structural differences between urban and rural areas in terms on infrastructure; conflicts; and last but not least, loss of labour in of health and education the out-migration areas. Migration is an important climate change  Tensions and conflict over (natural) resources strategy for both the poor and non-poor in Ghana. As a reaction to  Inability of migrants to access basic social services such as the threat of climate change and other stressors, migrants tend to health and education

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 20 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013  Poor security for migrants  Facilitate the proper utilization of rural and peri-urban lands  Poor linkages between source and destination areas by improving land use and land management schemes (move  Increased trend of independent child migration to natural resources)  Inadequate coordination by relevant authorities of climate-  Provide social protection for immigrants induced migration  Increase accessibility to quality health care for immigrants  Mainstream migration into national development frameworks Policy Objectives  Establish a national institution for the management of The objectives of this policy option are to: migration for development  Enforce rules and regulations of housing and sanitation  Ensure that migrants have equal opportunities to economic and social amenities at destination areas  Promote development and resilience/adaptation in both Programme Areas for Focus Area 9: Address Climate Change origin and destination areas and Migration P1. Alternative livelihoods Policy Actions P2. Social protection for migrant poor Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to: P3. Structures for dialogue between migrants and hosts  Promote vocational training, especially for youth, in places communities to prevent conflicts with high likelihood of receiving in-migration P4. Improve access to health and education  Invest in agriculture in vulnerable areas, such as developing P5. Measures to enhance existing livelihoods crops and livestock that are pest and drought resistant, early P6. Measures to enhance remittance flows yielding and culturally acceptable, and promoting irrigation, to help curb rural-urban migration  Facilitate movement between source and destination areas through improved transport systems  Facilitate flows of remittances and goods and services between source and destination areas  Target social transfers and safety nets; include migrants in the social safety nets  Improve access to microcredit among migrants  Promote alternative livelihood programmes to develop skills among rural dwellers

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 21 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 4.5 Energy, Industrial and Infrastructural  General lack of required datasets and models, data gaps, Development incompatible data formats, poor data quality and poor documentation of data across inventory sectors Focus Area 10: Minimize Greenhouse Gas Emissions  Unclear formal institutional arrangements for data collection, Increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fuel consumption data sharing and archiving for power and transport, agricultural soil, waste, burning of biomass,  Inadequate technical capacity (human and institutional) and other land use activities must be addressed in the nation’s near-  Inadequate research support (technical and financial) to medium-term development plans. The demand for energy  High costs of climate mitigation technologies, including typically grows with development, but with conservation practices Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) and efficient use of energy, GHG emissions need not grow at the  Low level of awareness among decision makers on climate same pace. A significant proportion of urban waste in Ghana is change needs biodegradable and can potentially be recycled for raw material or  Lack of design standards and codes for architects and energy with the appropriate technology and resources. Investing in engineers to design or rehabilitate structures to optimize more efficient systems and upgrading existing structures would also emission reductions help cut greenhouse gas emissions and still drive economic growth.  Uncontrolled burning  Minimal private sector involvement Principles  Lack of investment into renewable energy sources with a The main principle is: long-term perspective and greater coordination.  Recognizing that efficient energy use and cleaner energy technologies contribute towards economic development, as Policy Objective well as result in green development and optimal national The objectives of this policy option are to: emission rates.  Improve national greenhouse gas inventory mechanisms  Strengthen measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Key Challenges (direct and fugitive emissions), mainly from the energy Factors that may retard national mitigation actions include: (including power generation, oil and gas, transport, biomass), industry, and waste sectors.  Weak national greenhouse accounting and reporting systems  Inadequate capacities in estimating and certifying potential Policy Actions greenhouse gas reductions associated with technologies Key interventions for achieving these objectives are to:

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 22 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 • Improve technical capacities, data collection and • Establish efficient infrastructures and mechanisms for documentation systems for GHG emissions, inventories and processing and use of by-products from oil fields to prevent reporting gas flaring • Improve institutional arrangements and existing national GHG system for data collection, data sharing and archiving Programme Areas for Focus Area 10: Minimize Greenhouse in appropriate quality and format Gas Emissions • Support research, development and transfer of low emission P1. National institutional framework for greenhouse gas technology such as natural gas combined cycle, natural gas inventory distribution system, and mini and small hydroelectricity P2. Improved capacity of relevant sectors (public and private) projects for national GHG emissions reduction • Promote energy efficiency and management activities that P3. Low emission and clean technology research, include new and innovative energy efficiency methodologies development, diffusion, deployment and transfer and techniques in various sectors, especially power P4. Improve energy efficiency in production and consumption generation, oil and gas, transport, biomass, industry, and of energy waste P5. Renewable energy development • Promote the use of cleaner and more efficient energy sources and production methods that minimize resulting emissions P6. Comprehensive wastes (solid, liquid and human) and pollution management • Create an enabling environment, including incentives and P7. Minimize gas flaring financing mechanisms, to encourage and support the use of renewable sources of energy • Establish effective mechanisms for reducing the volume of wastes, and for controlled and safe disposal of unavoidable wastes • Establish sustainable recycling and waste management technologies that generate energy (e.g., biomass energy, biogas, methane, etc.) and reduce emissions from solid and liquid wastes, especially in urban areas • Support public awareness of efficient use of energy and of renewable energy sources

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 23 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Section Five: The Way Forward – From Policy to Action

Section 4 Themes and Strategic Focus Areas 4 - 24 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 5.0 From Policy to Action: The way forward and actions for implementation by the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The NCCP has identified ten Policy Focus Areas for addressing Phase 3, which constitutes the final component of the process, will Ghana’s climate change challenges and opportunities. Each of these be prepared by the MDAs that are identified as leads for specific policies has a number of specific programmes for addressing the actions. The lead MDA will develop detailed time-bound and costed critical policy actions necessary to achieve the desired objectives. implementation plans that would be linked to their operating These policy objectives can be achieved through the development of strategies and work plans. specific strategies and actions, more particularly, the five priority An inter-ministerial oversight committee should be established to areas. Specific actions and tasks, as well as estimated timelines and create linkages with the implementing entities. In line with this budgets have been identified for each policy objective as part of the recommendation, the following will constitute the nucleus of the process in Phase 2. Ministerial body: Phase 2 further elaborates the mainstreaming of the strategies into  Environment, Science and Technology thematic programmes and actions for national policy planning and  Lands and Forestry budgeting. This includes, among others:  Finance and Economic Planning  Identifying the targets of the mainstreaming process  Local Government and Rural Development  Evaluating the impacts of climate change on socio-  Food and Agriculture economic, sectoral and local development strategies and  Energy plans  Health  Evaluating the awareness and capacity for mainstreaming in The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation the context of the theme should establish a secretariat staffed with the necessary professional,  Evaluating possible impacts (both negative and positive) of technical competence to coordinate and monitor the effective the mainstreaming process implementation of the policy, programmes and plans. The secretariat  Developing strategies and mechanisms for mainstreaming in should have a cost centre with a separate budget. thematic areas, including financial, economic and policy In addition to the above, intensive educational programmes should aspects. be carried out on climate change activities to enable the various The Multi Donor Budget Support (MDBS) should be used as a sectors to implement the policy. It is further recommended that mechanism to mainstream the policy into the sectoral programmes capacity-building, especially training of relevant staff at the MDA level, should form an integral part of the implementation strategy.

Section 5 Way Forward 5 - 1 MESTI: Ghana National Climate Change Policy 2013 Agriculture and POLICY AREA Food Security Focus Area Develop Climate Resilient Agriculture and Food Systems Programme Area Alternative Post harvest Livelihood Systems facilities Establish an Support alternative Action agricultural Insurance livelihood programmes scheme Map out potential Disseminate details of Design a risk Tasks agriculture associated transfer scheme scheme to target risks beneficiaries Example of the relationship between the NCCP Themes and Programme Areas: Phase Two, Actions and Tasks

Section 5 Way Forward 5 - 2 Sources of Information EPA Policy Advice Series No. 6 (2012): PAS06 Improving Ghana’s Energy sector for help withstanding climate change. Agyemang-Bonsu, K W. (2002): “Ghana’s Technology Transfer EPA Policy Advice Series No. 7 (2012): PAS07 Good forests Needs Assessment Report on Scoping Phase”. (EPA). Governance in Ghana can help combat climate change. Cameron, C. (2011): “Climate Change Financing and Aid EPA Policy Advice Series No. 8 (2012): PAS08 Will addressing Effectiveness”. climate change outcomes minimize health impacts? CC DARE (2011): “National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy”. EPA Policy Advice Series No. 9 (2012): PAS09 Challenges of CC DARE (2012): “Integrating Climate Change and Disaster Risk climate change on human settlement. Reduction into National Development, Policies and Planning in EPA Policy Advice Series No. 10 (2012): PAS10 Can tourism Ghana”. reduce climate change and poverty? Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana) (2012): Mapping and EPA Policy Advice Series No. 11 (2012): PAS11 Deteriorating Documenting Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Change transport sector; can Ghana’s economy withstand it? Adaptation. EPA Policy Advice Series No. 12 (2012): PAS12 And not a drop to EPA Policy Advice Series No. 1 (2012): PAS01 Ghana’s National drink; impact of climate change on water resources. Development, Planning, Climate Change and Disaster Risk EPA Policy Advice Series No 13 (2012): PAS13 Climate Change Reduction. Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction: policy action for EPA Policy Advice Series No. 2 (2012): PAS02 Can Ghana feed technology agriculture. itself in the face of climate change impacts. EPA Policy Advice Series No 14 (2012): PAS14 Public financing EPA Policy Advice Series No. 3 (2012): PAS03 Climate change in for climate change in Ghana: A shared Responsibility for Ghana Disaster Risks are an increasing concern for all. Governments and Donor Partners. EPA Policy Advice Series No. 4 (2012): PAS04 Sea level Rise — A EPA Policy Advice Series No 15 (2012): PAS15 Climate change peril to Ghana’s coastline. adaptation and Disaster reduction: Engaging the private EPA Policy Advice Series No. 5 (2012): PAS04 Education and financial sector. Changing Climate. EPA Policy Advice Series No 16 (2012): PAS16 Indigenous The World Bank Group (2010): Economics of Adaptation to Climate knowledge: Relevance in climate change adaptation and disaster Change: Ghana. A Synthesis Report – Final Consultation Draft. risk reduction. August 2010 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTCC/Resources/EACC_F EPA Policy Advice Series No 17 (2012): PAS17 Climate change: inalSynthesisReport0803_ 2010.pdf Ensuring equal opportunities for men and women. EPA Policy Advice Series No 18 (2012): PAS18 Assessing Ghana’s capacity for addressing climate change. EPA (2011): Ghana’s Second National Communication, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Accra: Environmental Protection Agency, 168pp EPA (2012): National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) Accra: Environmental Protection Agency Gyampoh, B.A., Asante, W.A., La Rose, D. J., Adu-Acheampong, G., Assimeng, T., and Gyamfi, A. O (2011): Atlas of indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation in six selected districts in Ghana. MEST (2003): Climate Change Technology Needs and Needs Assessment Report. MEST (2010): Ghana Goes for Green Growth: National engagement on climate change. Reid, H., M. Alam, R. Berger, T. Cannon, S. Huq, and A. Milligan. (2009): “Community-based adaptation to climate change: an overview.” In: Participatory Learning and Action, issue 60, pg. 13, IIED.