National Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy
Table of Contents
List of Acronyms
i
Acknowledgements
ii
List of illustrations
iii
List of Tables
iv
List of Boxes
v
1.1 Background and Purpose............................................................................................................ 5
1.2 Approaches ...................................................................................................................................... 7
1.4 Guiding Principles, Goal, Objectives and Strategies .......................................................... 7
1.5 Structure .......................................................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Climate Change in Ghana........................................................................................................... 9
2.2 Climate Change Impacts in Ghana .........................................................................10
2.3 Ghana’s Vulnerability to climate change ..............................................................13
2.4 Summary of Key Issues ............................................................................................................. 14
3.1 Formulation of Goal /Objectives ............................................................................................ 17
To enhance Ghana’s current and future development to climate change impacts by
strengthening its adaptive capacity and building resilience of the society and
ecosystems. ....................................................................................................................................... 17
3.6 Adaptation Programmes ............................................................................................................ 19
3.6.1 Criteria for Selection of Priority Actions ....................................................................... 19
3.6. 2 List of Priority Programmes ............................................................................................. 20
4.1 Decentralized Implementation Strategy ............................................................................... 22
4.2 Institutional Arrangements ...................................................................................................... 22
4.2.1 National Level ........................................................................................................................ 22
4.2.2 Sub-National Levels ............................................................................................................ 23
4.2.2.1 District Level ...................................................................................................................... 23
4.2.2.2 Community Level .............................................................................................................. 24
4.2.2.3 Regional Level .................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.3 The Role of Civil Society Organizations ............................................................................ 24
4.2.4 Capacity Building..................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.5 Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................................... 25
4.5 Monitoring and Evaluation plan ............................................................................................. 27
Narrative Summary ........................................................................................................................ 27
Goal: To enhance Ghana’s current and future development to climate change
impacts by strengthening its adaptive capacity and building resilience of the society
and ecosystems................................................................................................................................ 27

Improved incomes of poor and vulnerable groups. ...................................................... 30

Improved access to credit facilities for the poor and vulnerable. ............................ 30

Increased availability of water for agriculture, domestic, energy and industrial
purposes ............................................................................................................................................. 33

Improved livelihoods and living conditions..................................................................... 34

Enhanced skills and capacity for water resources management ............................ 34

Decreased in the incidence of climate change related diseases............................... 35

Increased in the knowledge of climate change issues in the health sector.......... 35

Presence of effective and efficient rapid disaster response team............................. 35

Healthy population thereby increasing productivity ................................................... 35

Accelerated electrification compared to the National Electrification Scheme
(NES) .................................................................................................................................................... 36

Improved health in rural areas ........................................................................................... 36

Lower pressure on the national grid than under “business-as-usual” forecasts
36

Improved education in rural areas. ................................................................................... 36

Alternative livelihoods for women ...................................................................................... 36

Improved nutritional status of the people ....................................................................... 36

Increased in job creation/job diversification .................................................................. 36

Minimized pressure on fish resources. ............................................................................ 36

Dilution of socio-cultural practices as people adopts new livelihood technologies
that are not ‘indigenous’ to their cultures. ............................................................................. 36
4.4. 7 Funding Arrangements ......................................................................................................... 37
4.4.1.7.1 Fund Sources ................................................................................................................. 37
Box 1
What is Adaptation?
Box 2 The effects of climate change on Ghana
Box 3: The importance of mainstreaming climate change into national development process
CHAPTER 1
1.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background and Purpose
There is no doubt that the impacts of climate change are beginning to manifest
on the entire globe and particularly on developing countries that are relatively
vulnerable. Unless mechanisms are carefully and systematically put in place to
ensure resilience in development and reduce vulnerability, climate change and
climate variability may pose serious challenges to national development.
Indeed governments, communities and individuals alike adapt measures to
minimise the impacts of climate change. However, a critical examination of
most of the measures so far reveal that they are not actually targeted at
increasing resilience of affected people to climate change. The measures are
rather reactionary and, tend out to be ultimately more costly and could
therefore hardly address effectively
impacts that are long term anticipated.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) defines Adaptation as
adjustments in ecological, social or
economic systems in response to actual or
expected climatic stimuli and their effects
(Smith et al, 2001).
It includes
adjustments to moderate harm from, or to
benefit from, current climate variability as
well as anticipated climate change.
Box 1
What is Adaptation?
Adopting a proactive and a targeted
approach is obviously more effective
and less costly than responding
reactively to climate change impacts as
they happen. How can Ghana, as a
nation, strategise and adapt to the
future impacts of climate change,
without compromising on her
immediate
socio-economic needs?
Accordingly, this National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy intends to;
 Ensure a consistent, comprehensive and a targeted approach to
increasing climate resilience and decrease vulnerability of the populace.
 Deepen awareness and sensitisation for the general populace particularly
policy makers about the critical role of adaptation in national development
efforts
 Position Ghana to draw funding for meeting her national adaptation needs
 Strengthen International recognition to facilitate action
 Facilitate the mainstreaming of Climate change and disaster risk
reduction into national development.
The preparation of this National Climate Change Policy has been influenced by a
number of factors.
First, one of the commitments
under
the
United
Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change
(UNFCCC)
is
the
fundamental role expected of Parties
(national governments) to ensure
that climate change issues are
taken into consideration in national
development planning. In addition
to this, is the Hyogo Framework for
Action
(HFA)
2005-2015,
a
comprehensive and action oriented
response to international concern
about the growing impact of disaster
on individuals, communities and
national development, which aims
to reduce substantially loss of life as
well as the social, economic and
environmental losses caused to
communities
Evidence abounds in Ghana that
temperatures in all the ecological zones
are rising whereas rainfall levels and
patterns have been generally reducing
and increasingly becoming erratic. The
national economy stands to suffer from
the impacts of climate change because
it is dependent on climate sensitivesectors such as agriculture, energy,
forestry, etc.
Based on a 20-year
baseline climate observation, it is
forecasted that maize and other cereal
crop yields will reduce by 7% by 2050.
Available data also shows a sea-level
rise of 2.1 mm per year over the last 30
years, indicating a rise of 5.8 cm, 16.5
cm and 34.5 cm by 2020, 2050 and
2080. (Agyemang-Bonsu et al., 2008).
Box 2: The effects of climate change on Ghana
and nations as a result of disasters. Again, the development of a National
Climate Change Adaptation Stragegy has been agreed on as a trigger under the
Natural Resources and Environmental Governance Programme in Ghana.
Secondly, Ghana’s economy relies heavily on climate sensitive sectors mainly on
agriculture, energy and forestry. About 70% of the population depends directly
or indirectly on agriculture (fisheries, crop and animal farming etc.) and forest
sector for both timber and non timber forest products.
Any anomaly in the climate therefore tends to affect the economy of Ghana,
particularly the vulnerable. The limited use of irrigation facilities and high
dependence on unfavourable climatic conditions for the realisation of good
harvest tend to introduce huge instability in the standards of living of the
people. The percentage of cultivated land under irrigation in Ghana is 0.89%.
This is equivalent to 23,657 hectares. Consequently, majority of Ghanaians,
who live in the rural areas and thrive mainly on rain-fed farming in rural
communities, become disproportionately vulnerable since they are most exposed
to hazards such as bush fires, flooding and droughts and are least capable of
adapting to such hazards.
Finally, climate forecast and climate change scenarios for the country predict a
more severe and frequent pattern of such drought and flood events. At present,
there is broad international consensus that even if the world makes a significant
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the lag in the climate system means
that the world is faced with decades of climate change due to the green house
emissions already put into the atmosphere from industrialization activities.
The need to properly plan and carefully adopt a development path that ensures
climate resilience and integrate adaptation measures into all facets of national
development planning, particularly at the local level makes the preparation of a
National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) all the more relevant.
1.2 Approaches
The preparation of the NCCAS has been driven fundamentally by a participatory
approach. Since 2006, using the outputs of the sectoral vulnerability and
adaptation assessments carried out by national experts, an extensive network of
stakeholders ranging from the national, sector and districts with varied and
wide experiences in climate change disaster and national development planning
processes were consulted. .
1.3 Scope
Intended to cover a period of 10 years from 2010 to 2020, the NCCAS is
anticipated to be reviewed and used by all stakeholders. These are the
Presidency, Cabinet, Members of Parliament, Members of the National Climate
Change Committee, the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the
Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMAs), and Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) and traditional rulers. The academia and research
institutions may also find it very useful.
1.4 Guiding Principles, Goal, Objectives and Strategies
The following key principles shall guide the formulation and implementation of
the NCCAS







Adaptation policies must be addressed as part of a broader context of
National Development Policy Framework
Stakeholder participation is central to the formulation and
implementation of the NCCAS to ensure ownership
Promotion of sustainable development and poverty reduction are focus
areas of the adaptation strategy
Long term impacts of climate change is the principal means for
considering adaptation
Gender sensitivity and reduction of vulnerability are extensively adopted
Flexible and iterative
Cross sectoral and integrative but not necessarily sector wide

Implementation of the document shall ensure learning by doing
The basic goal of the NCCAS is to increase Ghana’s resilience to climate change
impacts now and in the future. This will be done by building Ghana’s capacity
in the area of infrastructure, knowledge to deal with climate change impacts and
reduce vulnerability in key sectors, ecosystems, districts and regions of the
country.
1.5 Structure
The NCCAS is structured into five chapters.
Containing this introduction, Chapter 1 highlights the overview of the NCCAS
including the purpose for its production, processes and intended audience.
Chapter 2 provides a situational analysis of climate change and its impacts on
the entire Ghanaian populace. The chapter further introduces the concept of
vulnerability and discusses the vulnerability of Ghana’s socio- geographic
structure
and
the
efforts
being
undertaken
to
address
them.
Chapter 3 details the goal objectives and strategies and the selection of priority
programmes. Chapter 4 looks at the implementation arrangements, which
includes a monitoring and evaluation plan. Chapter 5 concludes and
summarizes the NCCAS.
Chapter 2
2.0 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
2.1 Climate Change in Ghana
Historical data for Ghana from the year 1961 to 2000 clearly shows a
progressive rise in temperature and decrease in mean annual rainfall in all the
six agro-ecological zones in the country. Climate change is manifested in Ghana
through: (i) rising temperatures, (ii) declining rainfall totals and increased
variability, (iii) rising sea levels and (iv) high incidence of weather extremes and
disasters. The average annual temperature has increased 1°C in the last 30
years. Based on this data, the Minia et al. (2004) estimate that temperature will
continue to rise, while rainfall is also predicted to decrease in all agro-ecological
zones (see tables 1 and 2). Even though model prediction may not provide actual
climate at the projected dates, we know from historical analyses that rainfall in
the West African sub-region is associated with high variability which climate
change would only amplify. From historical records, temperatures have also
risen and are likely to continue in the future. In all agro-ecological zones
average annual temperatures are estimated to increase between 0.8°C and 5.4°C
for the years 2020 and 2080 respectively. Within the same period average
annual rainfall total is estimated to decline by between 1.1%, and 20.5%.
Table 1: Scenarios of Mean annual change in rainfall (%) for
ecological zones
Deciduous
Year Sudan Guinea Transitional rainforest
Rainforest
2020 -1.1
-1.9
-2.2
-2.8
-3.1
2050 -6.7
-7.8
-8.8
-10.9
-12.1
2080 -12.8
-12.8
-14.6
-18.6
-20.2
Coastal
Savannah
-3.1
-12.3
-20.5
Table 2: Scenarios of Mean annual temperature change for
ecological zones
Deciduous
Year Sudan Guinea Transitional rainforest
Rainforest
2020 0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.8
2050 2.6
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2080 5.8
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
Coastal
Savannah
0.8
2.5
5.4
Source: Minia et al. (2004)
The major challenges in all zones are weather extremes such as flooding,
droughts and high temperatures. In the Transitional zone, the projected trends
that are most likely to pose the major problem are the early termination of
rainfall which is likely to convert the current bi-modal regime to a uni-modal
one. Historical analysis by Owusu and Waylen (2008) has indicated that, rainfall
variability may be the single largest component of rainfall changes affecting all
agro-ecological zones in Ghana. In the Transition zone for instance, the short
dry spell (July and August) which is crucial for preparing the land for the
second crop is increasingly becoming wetter and the short rainy season
terminating early. There is a progression toward a uni-modal regime for the
transitional zone with serious consequences for rain-fed agriculture. In the
Forest zones, reductions in rainfall are reported (Owusu and Waylen 2009) to be
about 20% which is far larger than the 10% reduction in the Transition and
Savannah to the north. The major challenge in the forest however, is that the
reduction permeates the entire rainfall regime.
Available data shows a sea-level rise of 2.1 mm per year over the last 30 years,
with projections of 5.8 cm, 16.5 cm and 34.5 cm by 2020, 2050 and 2080
respectively. Scientists predict a 1 m rise in sea-level globally by 2100. The
major challenges in the Coastal zone include coastal erosion and salt water
intrusion. The east coast of Ghana is the most affected with whole communities
in Ada, Keta, Ningo and Prampram at risk of losing their houses and other
infrastructure.
2.2 Climate Change Impacts in Ghana
The major climate change impacts affect all sectors and their objectives, places
and people differentially depending on the levels of vulnerability. Ghana’s
vulnerability to climate change is in large part defined by its exposure to the
various impacts with droughts, floods, and sea erosion as the main drivers. The
most affected sectors in Ghana include the economic, social and infrastructural
groups. The cumulative effects on these sectors determine the impacts and
vulnerabilities of various livelihoods groups and places in the country.
2.2.1 Impacts on the economic sectors
Agriculture: In the economic sectors, agriculture which is the largest employer
within the Ghanaian economy suffers the most from climate change. The
distribution of rainfall is the single most important factor affecting agriculture.
The increasing variability of rainfall increases the risk associated with farming
as prediction becomes almost impossible. Total rainfall amounts are projected
to fall or experience great variability which will impact crop production and the
livelihoods of many in rural areas. The social fallouts of climate variability will
include changes in land tenure arrangements and social relations, migration
and subsequent urban vulnerability. Agricultural production is predominantly
rain-fed and any changes in rainfall pattern would have serious impact on
productivity. Current projections on climate indicate that rising temperatures
and frequent droughts will increase the incidences of bushfires and
environmental degradation. The changes in the climatic conditions in the past
have deepened rural vulnerability to poverty and enhanced the process of land
degradation and desertification. Investments in agriculture are becoming
expensive, risky and less profitable.
Water: The next important sector with wide implications for other sectors is
water. This is important for agriculture, energy, health, sanitation,
manufacturing and domestic uses. The potential water availability from
precipitation determines the availability of both surface and underground water.
Domestic water availability is already a big issue in major cities of Ghana due
mainly to technical inefficiencies. Runoff in all representative basins is sensitive
to changes in precipitation and temperature with a 10% change in precipitation.
Falling total rainfall affects the generation capacity of the hydro-electric dams.
Salt water intrusion along coastal communities without centralised water
systems deprives these communities of potable water for domestic and
industrial uses. There is a reduction of social welfare as a result of the combined
effects of declining income from agriculture and inadequate water supplies, with
severe consequences on malnutrition and human health.
Natural resources are the major sources of wealth and livelihoods for majority
of rural Ghanaians and the state. Sustainable management of these resources is
crucial for generating food, income, tourism, foreign exchange and biodiversity
needed for ecosystem services. Climate change is said to impact on natural
resources negatively both directly and indirectly. Directly, the increasing
frequency of droughts reduces biodiversity; while low levels of rainfall, high
temperatures and winds exacerbate bush fires. Indirectly, climate change
impacts on the ability of economic sectors to provide adequate income and
services to the population which is translated into unsustainable harvesting of
natural resources through extensification and intensification of agriculture
which have negative consequences for biodiversity, a major source of tourism
and ecosystem services.
Energy: The electricity supply is currently vulnerable to climate change. About 67% of
electricity generation in the country is from hydropower and 33% is from thermal
generation using diesel (Energy Statistics, 2006), with a small contribution (less than
1%) from small-scale solar systems. By 2020 the energy supply is expected to be more
diversified, according to the National Energy Plan for 2006-2020, with a larger
contribution from natural gas and renewables, and potentially from nuclear power.
The vulnerability of the hydroelectric sector to climate change was highlighted
by the output of hydro-electricity in 2003, a particularly dry year. The output
was 3,885 GWh, or about 60% of the level of 6,610 GWh in 2000, which was a
relatively wet year. Emergency supply of thermally generated electricity was
brought on line in 2003 to partially compensate for the decrease in hydroelectric
generation.
2.2.2 Impacts on the social sectors
The health and sanitation sectors have already been affected by climate change
and will experience further stress in the future. Increased incidences of water,
air and food borne diseases accompany flooding, drought, heat waves, and dry
winds. These interact with the sanitation nightmare experienced in urban areas
with multiple health risks, which lead to increased budgetary problems with
concomitant impacts on the National Health Insurance Scheme. For instance,
poor sanitation and urban flooding will increase the incidence of malaria and
cholera, while poor water supply will increase the incidence of guinea worm, and
heat waves will exacerbate the incidence of cerebro-spinal meningitis. Though
the positive impacts of droughts may be the reduction in disease vectors, this
will depend on the national planning and infrastructural capacity. The ability of
government and communities to provide social welfare services are constrained
as budgets are already stretched to the limit.
In the wake of increasing climatic impacts, local communities in Ghana have
considerably relied on traditional knowledge to manage resources to support
their livelihoods. Though traditional knowledge has facilitated traditional coping
mechanisms at the community level, it has not yielded the needed impact in
building resilience to climate change. Furthermore, in times of very severe
impacts, the destruction of properties and human lives has been
overwhelmingly high. Principal amongst the reasons is that usage of traditional
knowledge in developing traditional coping mechanism still remains disjointed
and undocumented. Nevertheless the application of indigenous knowledge in
coping mechanisms appears to be relatively cheaper than the importation of
foreign technology.
2.2.3 Impacts on Infrastructure.
Climate change impacts on infrastructure such as roads, dams, power
distribution lines, homes, drains and all structures that life revolves around.
Disasters such as floods, rainstorms and strong winds are becoming more
frequent than before. Over the years, provision of infrastructure facilities such
as roads, bridges, and housing in Ghana have not taken into consideration
additional climate-risk especially at the design stage. The ultimate effect is that
in times of intense climatic impacts such as flooding, infrastructure facilities are
not able to withstand the shocks. In recent times, the northern and urban
floods have had consequences beyond local coping and government capacities.
This obviously calls for better improved infrastructure facilities to withstand the
impacts of climate change.
Coastal erosion aided by rising sea levels will destroy a substantial portion of
the east coast of Ghana, carrying along millions of dollars of investments in
infrastructure. Heavy downpours will affect the road network resulting in
enormous annual cost of road repairs which prevents meaningful expansion of
road
infrastructure
needed
to
increase
accessibility.
Climate-proof
infrastructure cost more than conventional designs thereby reducing the
quantum of infrastructural investments. Infrastructure falls within the ‘hard’
adaptation measures which are high cost interventions but necessary for social
and economic reproduction.
2.3 Ghana’s Vulnerability to climate change
Vulnerability in all sectors of the Ghanaian economy and among households
results from both climate-induced and socio-politico-economic drivers.
Vulnerability in the context of climate change is the consequent fall in wellbeing attributed to the change simply because people are unable to cope and
adapt positively without adverse effects. Two sides of vulnerability are worth
noting: the first is the extent to which an area is susceptible to unfavourable
climate impact changes, and the second is the adaptive capacity of local
population. The vulnerability of a society is influenced by its development path,
physical exposures, the distribution of resources, prior stresses and social and
government institutions (Adjer et al. 2007).
Vulnerability to climate change in Ghana is spatially and socially differentiated.
Each ecological zone has peculiar physical and socio-economic characteristics
that define their sensitivity and resilience to climate change impacts. Poverty is
a good indicator of resilience, while occupation and location determine
sensitivity, though occupation and location define poverty. Poverty reduces the
capacity of people in meeting climate challenges and leading sustainable
livelihoods. Poverty in Ghana is highly spatialised. Generally, rural areas
compared to urban areas harbour the bulk of Ghana’s poor. Climate seems to
have a relationship with poverty levels with the exception of the coastal
savannah whose economy is highly urbanised. This correlation is the result of
high dependence of a majority of the people on natural resource-based activities.
Drier areas such as the savannahs are more risky and vulnerable to climate
change and variability than wetter areas. However, the drivers of vulnerability
due to climate change are gradually penetrating the better ecological zones
aided by non-climate drivers of vulnerability.
Droughts are a major problem for the northern and coastal savannahs with
increasing significance for the transitional zone. Climate variability in terms of
fluctuating weather conditions increases the vulnerability of the bulk of the
population who depend on natural resource based activities for their living.
Variability of rainfall has serious consequences for farmers in the transition and
forest zones where slight changes in weather conditions affect cocoa and fruits
such as pineapples, mangos, papaya etc.
Environmental change emerging through the driver of climate change inflicts
harsh and extreme environmental conditions upon rural smallholder farmers
and therefore has direct implications for creating unsustainable livelihoods.
Farmers have their investments washed down the drain by floods and droughts
almost every second or third year, especially in the northern savannah zone.
The severity of climate change impacts are felt mostly by poorer groups
depending on natural resource-based activities and living in marginal
environments. The socio-economic groups affected most by climate change
include small-scale food crop farmers, women small-scale farmers, Livestock
operators, fishermen and fishmongers, slum dwellers, and migrant farm
workers. These groups are vulnerable due mostly to institutional bottlenecks,
legal frameworks, poor capacities and market imperfections. These non-climate
drivers of vulnerability define the access patterns of different people in different
places to productive resources which builds resilience and adaptive capacity.
Migration and urban vulnerability constitute important dimensions of climate
change in Ghana. The increasing rate of migration is attributable to both
climate change and socio-economic vulnerabilities. The northern regions and
parts of Volta region have substantial numbers of their population moving to the
wetter south and urban areas. Increasing weather extremes will exacerbate
these movements with consequences of creating open spaces and concentrating
populations especially in urban areas where vulnerability to flooding, diseases,
heat waves, poor water supply are aided by poor urban planning and poor
infrastructure provision.
The major characteristics of these groups that make them prone to climate
change impacts are the dependence on nature using poor technology. The poor
adaptive capacity is the result of poverty due mainly to poor assets, poor
institutions, poor markets, poor physical infrastructure and eroding social
support systems. The focus of adaptation should begin with the most vulnerable
to climate change impacts and up-scaled to the other groups, rather than
enforcing the interest of the few elite.
Generally, the future of the country depends on the ability to cope with these
climate risks and realise opportunities that propel sustainable livelihoods,
reduce poverty and increase national growth. Inability to reduce Ghana’s
vulnerability by reducing exposure and building adaptive capacity will result in
unsustainable livelihoods with consequences of food insecurity, poverty and
environmental degradation. These in turn will further increase vulnerability of
human and physical systems to harsher impacts of climate change.
2.4 Summary of Key Issues
Measures to minimise the impacts of climate are reactionary.
Generally
government and the citizenry at large have not been proactive in putting
adaptation mechanism in place to minimise the impacts of climate change.
There are scientific evidences to demonstrate (i) rising temperatures, (ii)
declining rainfall totals and variability, (iii) rising sea levels and (iv) high
incidence of weather extremes and disasters. These are increasingly projected
to have a disastrous impact on all facets of the Ghanaian populace now and in
the future.
There is high risk associated with farming owing to the high unpredictability of
rainfall. Investments in agriculture are therefore becoming expensive, risky and
less profitable.
Some of the key challenges can be itemised as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Poor and Inadequate Infrastructure
Limited Human Resource Capacity
Weak sub-regional network
Inadequate financial resources/Low budgetary allocation
Flooding

Siltation of river beds

High rainfall in a short period generating high run-off

Settlements, farms etc located in flood plains

Improper farming methods leading to compaction of the soil which
restricts infiltration

Land degradation along the river banks

Absence of proper flood management systems

Improper disposal of solid waste that could choke drains and
exacerbate flooding conditions
6. Drought
- deforestation
- long dry season
- scanty rainfall
7. General
1. Lack of framework, inadequate human and financial capacity
and logistics for the water resources management in the river
basins.
2. Inadequate water harvesting systems.
3. Farming along the river banks causing siltation and reducing the
carrying and storage capacities of the rivers.
4. Higher temperatures, in combination with favorable rainfall
patterns, could prolong disease transmission seasons in some
locations where certain diseases already exist. In other locations,
climate change will decrease transmission via reductions in
rainfall or temperatures that are too high for transmission.
The public health sector of Ghana is characterized by the following:

Limited access to health care (Facilities, Nurses, Doctors, Paramedics
and inadequate community health workers)

Inaccessible health facilities (road network, transportation, financial
constraints)

Inadequately equipped health facilities
Some of the areas that are weak in terms of research and awareness creation
are

Inadequate climate information center

Poor information delivery services

Weak operational and well resourced Research and development systems

Inadequate climate change education into school curriculum

Inadequate health education and awareness creation

Need for policy and budgetary allocation for climate change research and
education

Relationships between scientific knowledge and traditional or indigenous
knowledge is weak
Chapter 3
3.0 GHANA’S ADAPTATION STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
3.1 Formulation of Goal /Objectives
Goal
To enhance Ghana’s current and future development to climate change impacts
by strengthening its adaptive capacity and building resilience of the society and
ecosystems.
Objectives
1. Improve societal awareness and preparedness for future climate change;
2. Enhance the mainstreaming of climate change into national development
to reduce climate change risks;
3. Increase the robustness of infrastructure development and long-term
investments;
4. Enhance the adaptability of vulnerable ecological and social systems by
increasing the flexibility and resilience of these systems;
5. Foster competitiveness and promote technological innovation
3.2
Strategies
Livelihoods
1. Improve output and income of vulnerable groups
2. Create awareness on climate change and its adaptation strategies
3. Sensitize beneficiaries on the need to adopt new and appropriate
technologies on economic and non-economic livelihoods
4. Improve access to credit facilities
5. Build technical and financial capacities on alternative livelihoods
mechanisms
6. Strengthen the relationship between scientific knowledge and traditional
or indigenous knowledge
Energy
1. Increase the use of off-grid alternative energy resources
2. Increase the use of efficient domestic appliances
3. Develop low-head run on river hydroelectric schemes
4. Encourage large-scale energy conservation.
Agriculture
1. Build and strengthen capacity of local farmers to increase agricultural
productivity and awareness of climate issues.
2. Build and strengthen capacity of extension officers in new farming
technologies in order to enhance their support for farmers.
3. Enhance the living standards of vulnerable groups through acquisition of
alternative livelihoods skills
4. Protect the environment through the promotion of agricultural biodiversity
5. Promote cultivation of crops and rearing of animals adapted to harsh
climatic conditions
6. Document existing indigenous knowledge and best practices
7. Train trainers to promote post-harvest technologies to minimize losses of
farm produce.
Health
1. Create national awareness on climate change and its impacts on health,
livelihood and environmental sanitation.
2. Improve environmental sanitation by strengthening institutions and
enforcement of laws and bye laws.
3. Improve existing waste management infrastructure and provide new and
affordable technologies for environmental sanitation.
4. Enhance and strengthen policies and bye laws in relation to spatial
distribution of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas.
5. Reduce the incidence of water and air –borne diseases.
6. Improve capacities of health workers to cope with climate change health
related problems
7. Increase and upgrade existing health facilities and equipment
(ambulance, health centers (CHPS), mobile health vans, helicopter)
8. Develop and strengthen a network of rapid disaster response team.
Early Warning
1. Promote the development of modern information management system
including E-Governance process
2. Develop systems for data collection, processing and dissemination of
information
3. Promote evidence-based decision making
4. Intensify government’s commitment to enhance access to public
information and enabling environment for media
5. Promote timely dispatch of strategic information to targeted areas
Fisheries Management
1. Promote fish farming
2. Design and implement programmes on fisheries management and disease
control
3. Develop alternative sources of livelihoods for fisherfolks
Land Use
1. Identify gaps in existing land-use regulations and review policies to deal
with land management issues
2. Implement and enforce land use regulations for sustainable development
3. Enhance the capacity of vulnerable groups to sustainably utilize land
resources
4. Promote farming technologies that enhances productivity of agricultural
lands.
5. Strengthen capacities of universities and research institutions to
undertake climate change studies
6. Develop strategies to implement climate change adaptation options
Water
1. Preserve/conserve water resources
2. Make water accessible for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and
commercial use and energy production.
3. Increase water availability for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and
energy production
4. Improve and sustain the quality of water resources.
To build capacity in water resources management.
3.6 Adaptation Programmes
3.6.1 Criteria for Selection of Priority Actions
The criteria for the selection and prioritization of the urgent adaptation
interventions were developed during stakeholder consultation workshop. The
five criteria used covered (a) resilience of the adaptation intervention; (b) how
sustainable the intervention will be; (c) the potential to have multiplier effects
(co-benefits) as a result of the implementation of the adaptation intervention; (d)
extent of replicability of the intervention; and (e) how feasible the whole
intervention is. The details of each criteria as used is provided below.
3.6. 2 List of Priority Programmes
As part of Ghana’s effort in developing a national climate change adaptation
strategy, a series of sectoral studies
were carried out. These studies led
to the proposal of seventy five
sectoral adaptation options. The
integration of these proposed
sectoral adaptation options in
national development proved to be a
great challenge as they could not be
considered in isolation.
Accordingly, a team of sectoral
experts was assembled to apply a
cross-sectoral
planning
and
analytical
decision-making
tool
(“Akropong
Approach”
–
see
Illustration 1) to arrive at a
selection of suitable adaptation
options across the various climate
vulnerable
sectors
that
were
assessed.
The experts further
subjected the proposed adaptation
options
to
qualitative
and
quantitative analysis to bring the
diverse options into more manageable and harmonised with other cross-sectoral
strategies. The Akropong Approach was designed to help the sectoral experts
assess the inter-relationships between the sectoral proposed options, identifying
both synergies and conflicts and using the multi-criteria analysis (MCA)
evaluate and rank the options. The teams of sectoral experts worked to provide
a preliminary list of adaptation options which clearly highlighted the synergies
and conflicts.
These options were further subjected to general national
stakeholders MCA analysis, review and endorsement. The revised adaptation
programmes which were endorsed by the general stakeholders were subjected to
log frame analysis to develop the programme implementation plans. To be most
effective in our national adaptation interventions, it was decided that ecosystem
and programmatic-based harmonized adaptation interventions be developed.
The programmatic based approach led to the identification of ten top national
priority adaptation programmes which have been provided in the Table 1 below.
To reduce mal-adaptation, the working group used the cross-sectoral impact
planning and analysis methodological tool the “Akropong Approach” (E. KempBenedict and W. K. Agyemang-Bonsu) which developed as part of the NCCAS.
Recognizing that the key to catalyzing the implementation
of climate change adaptation is to mainstream it into wider
national development process, there was the need to have a
more uniform structure and methodology to identify areas
of overlaps, synergies, and/or conflicts among the proposed
sectoral adaptation options, to ensure the development of a
more holistic and integrated national adaptation strategy.
Box 3: The importance of mainstreaming climate change into national development process
Table 3: Priority Adaptation Programmes
Item
Titles of Adaptation Programmes
1.
Increasing resilience to climate change impacts: identifying and
enhancing early warning systems
Alternative livelihoods: minimizing impacts of climate change for
the poor and vulnerable
Enhance national capacity to adapt to climate change through
improved land use management
Adapting to climate change through enhanced research and
awareness creation
Development and implementation of environmental sanitation
strategies to adapt to climate change
Managing water resources as climate change adaptation to enhance
productivity and livelihoods
Minimizing climate change impacts on socio-economic development
through agricultural diversification
Minimizing climate change impacts human health through
improved access to healthcare
Demand- and supply-side measures for adapting the national
energy system to impacts of climate change
Adaptation to climate change: sustaining livelihoods through
enhanced fisheries resource management
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
CHAPTER 4
4.0
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS
4.1 Decentralized Implementation Strategy
Implementation of the Strategy will form part of the decentralized planning and
implementation system. MDAs at the national level are responsible for policy,
planning, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects
while execution of such programmes and projects are undertaken at the subnational levels, i.e., the government agencies and the district assemblies. Thus,
appropriate institutions have been identified below to assume responsibility of
the strategy at all levels.
4.2 Institutional Arrangements
To ensure national ownership of the strategy and participatory effort at
managing the implementation of the strategy on schedule, both governmental
and non-governmental agencies including the private sector and civil society
organizations have been identified as implementing bodies at the national,
regional, district and community levels. The capacities of such implementing
bodies will be built to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
4.2.1 National Level
The lead institution for the implementation of the National Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) is the Ministry of Environment, Science and
Technology, which will be the supervisory agency. The ministry will be assisted
at the national level by the National Climate Change Committee.
4.2.1.1 Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology
As the supervisory agency, the ministry will:






Establish the institutional mechanism to implement the National
Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Liaise with the National Development Planning Commission to
mainstream the Adaptation Strategy into national development
planning processes
Coordinate the efforts of the other Government agencies, the private
sector and civil society organizations.
Ensure that the programmes/ projects under the strategy are in line
with sectoral government policies and strategies
Provide technical, financial and logistical support for the various actors
involved in programme activities, and
Supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of the strategy.
4.2.1.2 National Climate Change Committee
This committee will play the following roles:









The day-to-day management of the National Adaptation Strategy
The supervision of programmes/projects
The preparation of guidelines for programmes/projects
Monitoring and evaluation of programmes/projects and the
preparation of project reports
Support for the local institutions in capacity building and participation
Establish policy guidelines for programmes/projects operations
Approve programme/projects and recommend them for funding.
Recommend impact evaluation studies to determine whether the
specific interventions are producing their intended effects on the poor
and vulnerable groups; and
Review progress reports.
4.2.1.3 Major Climate Change-Related National, Regional and Sectoral
Programmes and Projects.
Implementation of such programmes and projects will be related to
implementation of the strategy at national and sub-national levels as set out
above and below.
4.2.2 Sub-National Levels
To enhance the decentralization and participatory process of the Strategy, sub
national level institutions will be the actual implementing entities, especially
those at district and community levels.
4.2.2.1 District Level
This will be the most crucial level for the strategy implementation. The District
Assemblies will be given guidelines from the National Climate Change
Committee concerning the preparation of climate change adaptation
programmes and projects at the district level, selection of programmes/projects
and the sharing of implementation responsibilities between the district
Assemblies and the sub-district local authorities at the community levels. For
purposes of planning and plan implementations, the District Assemblies should
strengthen the District Assembly Environmental Committee to take care of the
development and implementation of the climate change adaptation strategy at
the local level. The District Assemblies will also be assisted by the decentralized
departments, NGOs, CBO’s, traditional authorities and the private sector in the
preparation of detailed action plans and their implementation.
The District Assemblies should ensure that they incorporate the
programmes/projects of the district Disaster plans into their Adaptation plans.
The District Assemblies will directly undertake adaptation programme/project of
district- wise nature and leave community specific programmes and projects to
the sub-district and community authorities.
4.2.2.2 Community Level
At this level, the Town/Area councils and unit committees should also prepare
their own climate change adaptation plans and submit them to the District
Assemblies for incorporation into the District Plans. The local authorities at this
level will also be assisted by Government agencies, NGO’s especially the local
ones, community organizations, farmer and faith based organizations and local
chiefs in the preparation of their plans. The Town/Area councils and Unit
committees should concentrate on the implementation of community/specific
projects
4.2.2.3 Regional Level
At the Regional level, the Regional Coordination Council (RCC) will be
responsible for monitoring and evaluating District Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy and will liaise with monitoring staff of National Climate Change
Committee to remove bottlenecks in the implementation of District programmes.
The RCC should set up Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring Committee with
the Regional Planning Officer as the Chairman. There should be a linkage
between the above functions and the work of the Regional disaster management
platforms.
4.2.3 The Role of Civil Society Organizations
Until now, the important role of civil society organizations in the planning,
monitoring and evaluation of national programmes has not been adequately
recognized by Government. However, in the implementation of this Adaptation
strategy, their roles will be recognized in the following areas;



To mobilize, animate, sensitize, create awareness and educate the
people on the National Adaptation Strategy.
Liaise with the District Assemblies and the Communities to achieve
efficiency and effectiveness
To be a valve for evidenced based research, monitoring, communicating
information and capacity building.
4.2.4 Capacity Building
The capacities of all the implementing agencies at all spatial levels (National,
Regional, District, Community) will be built in terms of their institutional,
human resources, equipments and legal framework needs to enhance the
orderly implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. This calls
for the preparation of a detailed capacity building plans at all levels to
implement the Adaptation Strategy.
To facilitate the process, two activities will be undertaken:
(a) building a national consensus and formulating capacity-building strategies
for implementing the Strategy, and
(b) identification of national sources and presentation of requests for technical
cooperation, including that related to technology transfer and know-how in the
framework of sector strategies.
With respect to the first activity, the consensus should result from a
participatory dialogue of relevant interest groups and lead to an identification of
skill gaps, institutional capacities and capabilities, technological and scientific
requirements and resource needs to enhance climate change adaptation
knowledge and integration into socio-economic development.
With respect to the second activity, the Climate Change Committee should
formulate requests in the framework of long-term sector or sub-sector capacitybuilding strategies. Strategies should, as appropriate, address policy
adjustments, to be implemented, budgetary issues, cooperation and
coordination among institutions, human resource requirements, and technology
and scientific equipment requirements. They should cover public and private
sector needs and consider strengthening scientific training and educational and
research programmes, including such training in the developed countries.
4.2.5 Monitoring and Evaluation
There will be Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit within the National Climate
Change Committee to undertake the monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy.
M&E at the sub-national levels will form part of the regional and district M&E
systems set-up to monitor and evaluate development programmes and projects
in the districts and communities.
Broadly, monitoring will cover the following:
(a) Physical progress of implementation of the Strategy within time and cost
schedules.
(b) Quantitative and qualitative progress of implementation of programmes and
projects where targets are set
(c) Maintenance of capital assets created to be monitored selectively so that the
expenditure earmarked for the purpose in the national and district budgets is in
fact utilized for the purpose
(d) Plan expenditure—to ensure that sectoral outlays are not disturbed and
outlays earmarked for specific projects are not diverted for other purposes
without compelling reasons.
While the limited purpose of monitoring is to ensure timely completion of
stipulated tasks for which resources will be allocated to the Strategy, its
evaluation will aim at assessing the impact of the Strategy and determining the
success or failure in its formulation and implementation. Evaluation will be
undertaken periodically, first during the mid-term and later after the completion
of the Strategy life-time preferably by external consultants.
M&E Plan: There will be a comprehensive Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
plan to support the implementation of the strategy. Key policy initiatives under
the plan will include the following:
(a) Development of institutional framework for coordinating the system,
including analysis and mode of reporting on the progress on strategy
implementation to different stakeholders including Government, Civil Society
and development partners.
(b) Establishment of monitoring indicators against strategy baselines and core
targets
(c) Studies to enhance the knowledge and data base for the conduct of objective
impact analysis of the strategy.
(d) Plans for dissemination and communication strategy to be adopted based on
the sound understanding of key stakeholders, the information they require from
the monitoring and evaluation system, how best to communicate with them and
what range and style of outputs should be produced.
(e) Wider stakeholder participation (government, parliament, NGOs, CSOs,
private sector) in monitoring progress of the strategy to be agreed in the M&E
Plan.
4.5 Monitoring and Evaluation plan
Table 4: Programme Monitoring and Evaluation
Narrative Summary
Goal: To enhance Ghana’s current and future development to climate change impacts by strengthening its
adaptive capacity and building resilience of the society and ecosystems.
Information
Requirement
Milestone
Data Source
Frequency
Responsibility
Community
Participation
Once but to be
reviewed yearly
EPA,
Means of
Verification
Specific objective
1.Improve societal
awareness and
preparedness for
future climate
change




Dissemination
and
Communication
Strategy
developed for CC
Hazard and
vulnerability
mapping
Establishment of
Early warning
systems nationwide
Community
Response
Capabilities
Relevant
institutions
CSOs, CBO’s ,
Meteorological
Service.,
NADMO,
Citizens assessment
Monitoring and
Evaluation reports.
2. Enhance the
mainstreaming of
climate change into
National
Development to
reduce climate
change risk.
Climate Change
issues reflected in
the national policy
framework and plans
Budget Guidelines
developed for
integrating climate
change
Sectoral Policy briefs
for facilitating
Climate Change
Indicators for
monitoring and
evaluating climate
change developed
3. Increase the
robustness of
infrastructure
development and
long term
investment


Climate change
requirements
integrated into
building codes
and other
infrastructure
development
regulations
Engineers
sensitised on
National
Development
Policies and
Plans
Periodically
National
Budget
Guidelines
Yearly
EPA, NDPC ,
NADMO,
MDA’S,
MMDA’s, CSOs
National, Sector and
district Plans
Amount of money
released for the
implementation of
climate change
Monitoring and
evaluation
Citizens assessment
Sectoral Policy
Briefs
National M & E
Plans and
reports
Building
regulations
and codes
Financial and Audit
Reports.
Yearly
Yearly
Yearly
Ghana Institute
of Engineers,
NGOs, MMDA’s,
MDA’s
Training report.
Monitoring and
evaluation reports.
Citizens
Assessments

4.Enhance the
adaptability of
vulnerable ecological
and social systems
by increasing the
flexibility and
resilience of these
systems
5. Foster
competitiveness
and promote
technological
innovation.
Climate Change
issues
Climate change
issues built into
long-term
investment
codes/planning
Hazard and
Vulnerability
Mapping
Adaptation Plan
developed for the
vulnerable
ecological and
social systems
Design of incentives
packages for
innovators
Set up
Technological
Innovation Fund
Operationalise a
Technological Advisory
Board
Geographic
Information
Systems (Maps)
Yearly
Yearly
Vulnerability
Assessment
Documents
NADMO,
MOWAC,
Gelological
Survey
Department,
WRC, Meteo.,
Yearly
CSO’s,
National
Science and
Technology
Policy
Yearly
Policy
Documents
Ghana Academy
of Arts and
Science, GIPC,
EPA, MEST,
MMDA’s,
Yearly
Industrial and
Investment
Regulation
CSO’s
Monitoring
Evaluation
and
Citizens
Assessments
Monitoring
Evaluation
Citizens
Assessments
and
PROGRAMMES
1. Increasing resilience
to climate change
impacts by identifying
and enhancing Early
Warning Systems (EWS)
within a decentralized
system.
Indicator




2. Alternative livelihoods:
minimizing impacts of
climate change for the
poor and vulnerable



Functional and
Effective
National
document
reporting on the
current status of
EWS
Enhanced
Institutional and
human
capacities for
EWS nationwide
Early Warning
Systems
Infrastructure
for various
sectors in place
by 2020
Functional and
efficient
decentralized
EWS established
Improved
incomes of poor
and vulnerable
groups.
The poor and
vulnerable adopt
new and
appropriate
technologies
Improved access
to credit facilities
for the poor and
Data Source
Frequency
Responsibility
Means of Verification
vulnerable.
3.Enhance national
capacity to adapt to
climate change through
improved land use
management




4. Adapting to climate
change through
enhanced research and
awareness creation


Enhanced landuse regulations
and review
policies to deal
with land
management
issues
Enforcement of
land use
regulations for
sustainable
development
Enhanced
capacities of
vulnerable
groups to
sustainably
utilize land
resources
Enhanced
farming
technologies and
productivity of
agricultural
lands.
Created
awareness on
climate change
and its
adaptation
strategies
Strengthened
capacities of
universities and
research
institutions to
undertake
climate change
studies
5. Development and
implementation of
environmental sanitation
strategies to adapt to
climate change

developed
systems for data
collection,
processing and
dissemination of
information

To develop
strategies to
implement
climate change
adaptation
options

To establish a
consortium of
experts on
climate change.

Created national
awareness on
climate change
and its impacts
on health,
livelihood and
environmental
Training Reports




6. Managing water
resources as climate
change adaptation to
enhance productivity

sanitation.
Improved
environmental
sanitation by
strengthening
institutions and
enforcement of
laws and bye
laws.
Improve existing
waste
management
infrastructure
and provide new
and affordable
technologies for
environmental
sanitation.
Enhanced and
strengthened
policies and bye
laws in relation
to spatial
distribution of
residential,
commercial,
industrial and
recreational
areas.
Reduced the
incidence of
water and airborne diseases.
Increased
availability of
water for
agriculture,
domestic, energy
Once
(2009)
and livelihoods


7. Minimizing climate
change impacts on socioeconomic development
through agricultural
diversification




and industrial
purposes
Improved
livelihoods and
living conditions
Enhanced skills
and capacity for
water resources
management
Strengthened
capacity of local
farmers to
increase
agricultural
productivity and
awareness of
climate issues.
Strengthened
capacity of
extension
officers in new
farming
technologies in
order to enhance
their support for
farmers.
Enhanced living
standards of
vulnerable
groups through
acquisition of
alternative
livelihoods skills
Enhanced the
protection of the
Once
(2009)


8. Minimizing climate
change impacts human
health through improved
access to healthcare




environment
through the
promotion of
agricultural
biodiversity
Promoted the
cultivation of
crops and
rearing of
animals adapted
to harsh climatic
conditions
Improved
environmental
conditions in
farming
communities.
Decreased in the
incidence of
climate change
related diseases
Increased in the
knowledge of
climate change
issues in the
health sector
Presence of
effective and
efficient rapid
disaster
response team
Healthy
population
thereby
increasing
productivity
9. Demand- and supplyside
measures
for
adapting the national
energy
system
to
impacts
of
climate
change





Accelerated
electrification
compared to the
National
Electrification
Scheme (NES)
Improved health
in rural areas
Lower pressure
on the national
grid than under
“business-asusual” forecasts
Improved
education in
rural areas.
Alternative
livelihoods for
women
10.Adaptation
al status
of the people to climate
change:
sustaining
eation/job
diversification
e on fishlivelihoods
resources.
through
ultural practices
as
people
adopts new livelihood technologies that are not ‘indigenous’ to their cultures.
enhanced
fisheries
resource management
4.3. Partnership and international Collaboration
This can be grouped into the following:




Partnership in collaboration with our neighbouring countries.
ECOWAS- Ghana climate change adaptation strategy can be linked to
the ECOWAS adaptation Climate Change Strategy as well as any
related programmes by African Countries.
Multilateral and International Agencies: these comprise of institutions
such as UNDP, UNEP, FAO, WHO, WMO, IPCC, UNFCCC (Nairobi
Work Programme which deals with Science and Knowledge Change
Adaptation.
Bilateral Cooperation: Netherlands Climate Assistance Programme;
Danish Government, Switzerland, DFID, CIDA, JICA, GTZ, and
Australia.
South-South Cooperation with the following countries. They are
China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Malaysia etc
4.4. 7 Funding Arrangements
Adaptation cost is the additional cost of measures taken strictly in response
to climate change. This does not include cost already included in
programmes and projects in the development plans and budget. A draft
estimate of the strategy indicates that the annual cost of the strategy is
between $300 million and $700 million at the initial stage and it is expected
to grow to about $1000 million over the ten years plan period.
As indicated in the strategy, the programmes and projects are to be
implemented through cross sectoral approach. The cost for example
agriculture sub-sector is estimated to be $34 million whilst roads transport
is estimated at between $129 million and $142 million per annum for
maintenance. On new roads it is estimated that between $0.5 and $1.5
billion will be required for the next ten years. The annual cost of the energy
and water sector is estimated at $67 million per annum whilst that of the
coastal zone is between $12 and $143 million per annum.
4.4.1.7.1 Fund Sources
The potential sources of funding for the implementation of the strategy
include the Adaptation Fund, Multilateral, Bilateral, other Donors,
Government of Ghana and other sources which are climate change related.
All implementing agencies including MDAs, NGOs, CSOs, MMDAs etc. can
submit proposals to any of the sources for funding.
4.4.1.1 Adaptation Fund
For the adaptation fund, the proposals are to be routed through the
approved channel described in this strategy paper.
4.4.1.2 Limits
Parties may undertake adaptation activities under the following categories:



Small-size projects and programmes (proposals requesting up to $1
million); and
Regular projects and programmes (proposals requesting over
$1million).
In the two windows the proposals should reflect gender perspective.
4.4.1.3 Budgeting (MDAs)
MDAs sourcing funds from the adaptation fund will be required to indicate
in their annual estimates detailed activities with budgets for approved
allocation. MOFEP will therefore be required to indicate in the budget
guidelines MDAs ceiling which include approved allocations from the
adaptation fund.
4.4.1.4 Disbursement (MDAs)
For the disbursement of the Adaptation Fund, Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning is the National Implementing Entity.
4.4.1.5 Accounting and Auditing
The fund authority reserves the right to reclaim all or part of the financial
resources allocated for the implementation of a project or programme, or to
cancel projects or programmes if it is later found not to be satisfactorily
accounted. The implementing entity shall be given a fair chance to consult
and present its point of view before the Board such decisions are taken. At
any stage of the project cycle, either at its discretion or following an
independent review-evaluation, the Ethics and Finance Committee may
recommend to the Board to suspend or cancel a project for several reasons,
notably:


procurement and financial irregularities in the implementation of the
project; and/or
material breach and poor implementation performance leading to a
conclusion that the project can no longer meet its objectives.
In accordance with their respective obligations, Implementing Entities
suspending or cancelling projects and programmes must notify and send
detailed justification to the Board for information. The Secretariat will report
to the Board on an annual basis all approved projects and programmes that
were suspended or cancelled during the preceding year.
Below is the summary of the cost and budget of the ten priority programmes
over the estimated ten year period.
Table 5: MEDIUM TO LONG TERM BUDGET SUMMARY OF THE STRATEGY
No
Programmes
Increasing resilience to climate change impacts : identifying and
1
enhancing early warning systems
Alternatives Livelihoods : Minimizing impacts of climate change for the
2
poor and vulnerable
Enhancing national capacity to adapt to climate change through
3
improved land use management
Adaptating to climate change through enhanced research and awareness
4
creation
Development and management of of environmental sanitation strategies
5
to adapt to climate change
Managing water resources as climate change adaptation to enhance
6
productivity and livelihoods
Minimizing climate change on socio-economic development through
7
agricultural diversification
Minimizing Climate change impacts on human health through improved
8
access to health care
Demand and supply side measures for adapting the national energy
9
system to impacts of climate change
Adaptation to climate change sustaining livelihoods through enhanced
10
fisheries resources management
Programme No
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
$M
Programme 1
30
36
43
52
62
75
90
99
102
108
109
111
Programme 2
20
24
30
36
44
54
66
80
98
103
105
107
Programme 3
25
30
36
43
52
62
75
90
99
103
104
107
Programme 4
33
40
48
57
68
82
99
101
94
99
104
106
Programme 5
40
44
48
53
59
64
71
78
86
87
91
93
Programme 6
45
47
57
68
82
98
108
86
91
92
93
95
Programme 7
40
46
53
61
70
80
93
88
92
97
102
104
Programme 8
20
25
28
37
48
62
81
89
98
99
101
103
Programme 9
60
64
67
71
76
80
85
90
96
101
102
103
Programme 10
Total
65
66
68
69
70
72
73
75
76
78
79
81
378
422
478
548
631
730
839
875
932
967
991
1009
Provide description (eg. Rates used)
The cost should be appreciated in the light of the fact that the cost of
implementing climate change projects is very high. This is because normal
projects will require some modification to demand additional funds.
The calculation was based on projected range of 300 to 700 million through
to 1000,000 million indicated in the various studies conducted as part of the
various studies on climate change.
The initial cost per programme was arrived at based on the cost per
programme calculated on the first year. This was projected by an initial
average of 10% for the first five years and 5% for the rest of the years. The
projection was based on the assumption that inflation in Ghana would be
brought to a single digit.
Chapter 5 Conclusion and Summary
There is no doubt, from research and careful observation that the impacts of
climate change are having a toll on the entire globe and particularly on
developing countries that are relatively vulnerable like Ghana.
It is therefore important that Ghana adopts measures (as recommended by
this strategy document) to minimise the impacts of climate change and
increase the resilience of the peoples, communities and the socio-economic
sectors.
It is also important that all sectors, as identified by this strategic document
work together to reduce the impacts of climate change on Ghana’s economy.
REFERENCES
Adjer et al. 2007 Adger, W. N., et al. (2007). Assessment of adaptation practices,
options, constraints and capacity. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation
and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment
Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. M. L. Parry, O. F.
Canziani, J. P. Palutikof, P. J. v. d. Linden and C. E. Hanson. Cambridge,
UK, Cambridge University Press: 717-743.
Energy Statistics, 2006
Minia, Z. (2004). Climate scenarios developed for climate change impacts
assessment in Ghana. The Netherlands Climate Change Studuies Assistance
Programme (NCCSAP). Phase2 - Part 1, EPA.
Owusu, K. and P. Waylen (2009). "Trends in spatio-temporal variability in annual
rainfall in Ghana (1951-2000)." Weather 64(5): 115-120.
Owusu, K., et al. (2008). "Changing rainfall inputs in the Volta basin: implications
for water sharing in Ghana." Geojournal 71(4): 201-210.
6.0 Appendix
A) Criteria for selection
The idea to prepare of a national strategy for adaptation to climate change
was began in 2006 as part of the Netherlands Climate Assistance
Programme (NCAP). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), held
numerous zonal and district consultation workshops as well as national
climate change fora, to solicit views and inputs from the citizenry. The
NCCAS is therefore culmination of expert views as well as views from civil
society groups, governmental organizations, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations both national and international and some
development partners.
Following the second national stakeholder forum in August 2007, a task
team was put together to develop the draft NCCAS. The draft NCCAS was
circulated for stakeholder comments and will be finally subjected to national
endorsement processes, including Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals.
One of the major driving forces behind the development and finalization of
the NCCAS was the acceptance of the national adaptation strategy as a
trigger for sector budget support by the Ministry of Finance and Economic
Planning under the Natural Resource and Environmental Governance
(NREG) programme.
The criteria for the selection and prioritization of the adaptation
interventions were developed during stakeholder consultation workshop.
Five criteria used covered (a) resilience of the adaptation intervention, (b)
how sustainable the intervention will be, (c) the potential to have multiplier
effects (co-benefits) as a result of the implementation of the adaptation
intervention, (d) extent of replicability of the intervention, and (e) how
feasible the whole intervention is.
On the 25th to 26th of January there was a finalization of national climate
change workshop where experts from the various government institutions
had the opportunity to make inputs into the National Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy document. Furthermore on the 27th to 28th of January
another national meeting was held for the Ghanaian civil society
organisations to review the strategy document make inputs. The views of
these two groups were incorporated to enrich the NCCAS. It is expected that
the NCCAS will also be reviewed by the National Climate Change Committee
(NCCC) before submitting to the Cabinet and finally seek Parliamentary
approval.
Appendix B: Various sectoral Adaptation Options
Appendix C: Chronology of activities
Stakeholder engagement/analysis