For the first time in its history, more of Ghana’s population lives in cities than in rural areas. Over 50% of the population now lives in urban areas, half of which are situated in coastal urban areas where exposure to climate change impacts is a key issue. Development interventions and policy responses will need to demonstrate evidence of ‘climate proofing’ or ‘climate compatibility’ by integrating adaptation, mitigation and development objectives. Yet a huge gap in knowledge exists on how climate compatible initiatives can be designed or implemented in practice, particularly in coastal urban areas. This knowledge gap is evident in a number of Ghana’s policy and strategic documents.

Through its Climate Change and Health Research agenda over the last three years, the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) has shown that climate change will worsen the health of most coastal urban dwellers in Accra. RIPS has been profiling the socioeconomic demography of coastal communities and their vulnerabilities, and is developing mechanisms to mobilise communities and major policy stakeholders to act locally.

This research project’s objective was to promote the use of climate change risk factors as common indicators for integrating climate compatible development and policy processes in Ghana. This involved: risk and vulnerability assessments; testing of a vulnerability identity matrix method; evaluating and testing the sensitivity of policy frameworks to respond to community-level climatic risks; understanding specific drivers of risk reduction; and disaster contingency planning. The project also helped to strengthen human capacity in risk assessment and management of key impacts of climate change.

The project aimed to influence climate-related risk and disaster management and development planning processes, promoting best practices that build resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation. The outcome aimed to guide the mainstreaming of climate science, policy and people.

For more information:

• Climate policy brief of the regional institute of population studies
• Ghana: Climate change risk communications framework for coastal urban development policy

Lead: Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe and Dr Delali B. Dovie (Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Legon Ghana)

Project partners: Winfred Nelson (Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana), Dr EnoAbasi Deborah Anwana (University of Calabar, Nigeria)

CDKN funding: £200,000

Regions/countries: Africa, Ghana

Type: Research project, CDKN Innovation Fund (Stage 2)