Ghana Goes for Green Growth

The National Climate Change Policy Framework (NCCPF) seeks to protect Ghana's development progress from climate shocks while transitioning to a low-carbon growth path. The framework identifies critical vulnerabilities in the coastal zone, agriculture, and water resources, noting that the poorest populations and women are disproportionately affected. To address these, the NCCPF focuses on three main objectives: low carbon growth, effective adaptation, and social development, supported by seven systemic pillars including governance, finance, and capacity building. Key targets include generating 10% of energy from renewable resources by 2020 and implementing 'climate-proof' infrastructure.

• Climate change poses a significant threat to Ghana's goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2020, particularly affecting the poorest citizens despite the country's negligible contribution to global emissions.
• Ghana's coastal zone and northern regions are highly vulnerable to climate-induced flooding; a 2007 flood in the north affected 317,000 people, destroyed 1,000 km of roads, and cost approximately $25 million in emergency funding.
• The agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the economy, is highly vulnerable as 80% of domestic production comes from small-scale farmers reliant on rainfall.
• Women are particularly at risk from climate change because they produce 70% of subsistence crops and account for 52% of the labour force, yet they face barriers in accessing land and formal financial services.
• Ghana aims to transition to low-carbon growth by targeting 10% of its energy from renewable resources by 2020 and leveraging the Jubilee oil field's gas to meet roughly 30% of current electricity needs.
• The forestry sector is under severe pressure, with a 2006 analysis suggesting natural forests could be lost within 23 years; currently, over 50% of original forests have been converted to agricultural land.
• The NCCPF is structured around three primary objectives—low carbon growth, effective adaptation, and social development—supported by seven pillars: governance and coordination, capacity building, research and knowledge management, finance, international cooperation, communication, and monitoring and reporting.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2010). Ghana Goes for Green Growth. https://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NCCPF-Summary-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Ghana Goes for Green Growth. 2010. https://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NCCPF-Summary-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Ghana Goes for Green Growth |date=November 2010 |url=https://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NCCPF-Summary-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2010ghana, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Ghana Goes for Green Growth}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2010}, month = nov, url = {https://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NCCPF-Summary-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }