Introduction to Ghana

Ghana, located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, has a population of 33.5 million people,1 of which 41 percent is rural.2 The first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from colonial rule, Ghana’s economy continues to be heavily dependent on extractive and export-oriented industries such as gold, petroleum, and cocoa, which constitute over 80% of the country’s export revenue.3 Endowed with vast natural resources, Ghana is the largest producer of gold in the continent,4 and has significant oil and gas reserves. The agriculture sector is also critical for the economy, employing 39% of the working population5 and contributing 18.8% of the GDP.6 Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world, which contributes 15% to the GDP and employs 3.2 million people directly or indirectly.7 However, the cocoa industry in Ghana is also a major driver of deforestation, land degradation, and waterbody contamination.8 The agricultural sector, including the cocoa industry, is expected to be severely affected by the negative impacts of climate change. With a tropical savanna climate all across the country, Ghana has been experiencing increased frequency, intensity and duration of flood, epidemics, droughts, and storms.9 The West African nation’s vulnerability to these climate impacts is exacerbated by the extractive and export-oriented industries with deep roots in the colonial era, during which these industries prioritized the production and export of raw materials, often neglecting the well being of local communities and environmental sustainability. 

Mapping Major Climate Events and Climate-Induced Displacement

Ghana is  very vulnerable to climate disasters, ranking 42 out of 180 countries in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021.10 The major climate hazards experienced by the coastal nation are flood, epidemic and storms, which account for over 88% of the average annual hazard occurrence for 1980-2020.11 Between 1980 and 2000, the country experienced 4 years of flood with the number sharply increasing to 13 between 2001 and 2020.12 In 2017 alone, floods affected 1 million people in Ghana. Between 2008 and 2022, 79 disaster events were reported in Ghana, amongst which floods displaced 259,000 people while storms displaced 20,000 people.13 In 2021, due to a combination of drought followed by floods, farmers in northern Ghana anticipated 50% less harvest than usual. As recent as June 2023, incessant heavy rainfalls led to the deadly floods in the southern region of Ghana.14 Every year, about 45,000 people in Ghana bear the brunt of the devastating impacts of flooding.15 In addition, nearly half of Ghana's coastal areas are at risk of erosion and flooding due to sea level rise.16 As climate hazards continue to intensify and sea levels climb, the vulnerability of coastal communities to storms, erosion and inundation is expected to increase, posing significant challenges to sustainable development and threatening the socio-economic fabric of these areas.

Mapping the Costs of the Climate Crisis

The GDP of Ghana is US$ 72.84 billion,17 with more than 23.4 percent of its population living below the national poverty line,18 and 33% of its urban population living in informal settlements. Ghana’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change is exacerbated by the rapid pace of urbanization and the expansion of informal settlements, where residents often lack access to adequate infrastructure and are ill-prepared to cope with climate-related challenges. It is projected that an additional one million individuals could be pushed into poverty as a result of climate-related disasters.19 Furthermore, households already experiencing financial hardship may face a substantial decline in income, potentially reaching a reduction of up to 40% by the year 2050.20 In the past decade, prolonged droughts and periods of aridity have caused substantial damage to the agricultural sector, leading to severe food insecurity, famines, and the loss of employment opportunities and livelihoods. The prevailing climatic conditions have particularly impacted the Northern belt, where an estimated 13 percent of the population is expected to grapple with the effects of drought.20 The projected rise in average annual losses due to droughts indicates an increase from US$95 million in 2020 to over US$325 million per year by the year 2050.20

Mapping Resilience and Mitigation Pathways

Ghana, constituting 0.42 percent of the world's population, is responsible for only 0.02 percent of the global cumulative carbon dioxide emission.21 Although its contribution to climate change is relatively insignificant, Ghana bears a disproportionate burden of the catastrophic consequences stemming from the crisis. The West African nation pledged to take action to mitigate the effects of climate change by signing the Paris Agreement, and in its first Nationally Determined Contribution, Ghana made a target to reduce 15 percent of its projected greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under the Business As Usual (BAU) scenario and an additional 35 percent with substantial international support.22 Ghana is actively prioritizing policy actions aimed at maximizing the synergies between adaptation and economic diversification, while also achieving mitigation co-benefits. This includes integrated water resources management, gender-responsive sustainable forest management, and comprehensive planning of city-wide resilient infrastructure. Ghana, a founding partner of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), is the world's first country to include short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and other air pollutants in its fourth official National Greenhouse Gas Inventory submitted to the UNFCCC.23 Finally, Ghanaian civil organizations are actively implementing principles, practices, and processes, such as sustainable development and agrarian reforms that promote a just transition.24 These efforts specifically target agrarian and rural livelihoods, as well as prioritize the empowerment of women and youth.

Necessary Changes

Ghana is demonstrating its commitment to attaining emissions reductions and carbon neutrality objectives through noteworthy endeavors in climate mitigation and adaptation. However, Ghana continues to be extremely vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Therefore, it is imperative for the international community to step up and provide support to Ghana in strengthening its resilience against climate change. Ghana's cocoa industry is vital for its economy, providing income to farmers and contributing to export revenues but unsustainable practices, like deforestation, endanger the country's resources, biodiversity, and the industry's future. In addition to diversifying the country’s economy, promoting agroforestry in cocoa production as well as sustainable land and water management techniques can reduce environmental harm. Furthermore, it is vital to build the resilience and adaptive capacity of Ghana’s at-risk, and low income communities, including those living in informal settlements, by improving access to infrastructure and service, providing livelihood diversification opportunities, and instituting robust social safety nets. Collaborative efforts between the government, civil society organizations, and international partners in all sectors are essential for effective policy formulation and implementation. By integrating climate considerations into various sectors such as agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, Ghana can foster sustainable development while reducing its vulnerability to climate change impacts.