Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper argues that the development relationship between Germany and Ghana has narrowed from a strategic industrial partnership to a limited, skills-focused donor model. The author contends that Germany's current emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is misaligned with Ghana's '24-Hour Economy' (24HE) initiative, which requires systemic industrial coordination rather than broad skills diffusion. The paper proposes a 'vanguardist' model based on selective value-chain acceleration and the creation of industrial corridors to drive large-scale youth employment.

This report by the African Center for Economic Transformation evaluates the sustainability of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in Ghana. It finds that after 25 years, the EPZ model has failed to meet many of its original objectives and lacks integration with broader industrial policies, environmental standards, and anti-corruption measures. The report recommends a comprehensive policy overhaul, increased private sector involvement in infrastructure, and the adoption of climate-friendly investment strategies.

This research paper examines the intersection of Ghana's emerging offshore oil and gas sector and its artisanal fisheries. It argues that while the oil sector has created specific tensions—particularly regarding exclusion zones and maritime safety—the primary threats to the sustainability of Ghana's fisheries are fleet overcapacity, illegal fishing practices, and environmental stressors. The author advocates for a shift from merely minimizing oil-sector impacts toward a constructive 'socio-ecological compact' and integrated maritime governance to support the long-term viability of artisanal fishing.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), challenging claims that it promotes regional integration, provides affordable energy to Ghana, or effectively ends gas flaring in Nigeria. The document highlights risks including legal unaccountability due to the project company's registration in Bermuda, economic burdens on Ghana through 'take-or-pay' contracts, and the continued environmental and health impacts of gas flaring in the Niger Delta.

This case study examines a private Licensed Buying Company (LBC) in Ghana's cocoa industry to assess its compliance with the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI). The company operates as a trader and distributor, purchasing cocoa from approximately 20,000 farmers via 2,000 purchasing clerks and selling to the state-run Cocoa Board of Ghana (COCOBOD). While the company demonstrates high compliance in inclusive structures and stakeholder treatment, it shows significant gaps in formal strategy, human resource systematization, and environmental impact management.

This policy brief by the Johns Hopkins SAIS China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) examines two distinct models of Chinese agricultural investment in Africa through case studies in Ghana and Nigeria. It contrasts a small-scale, private entrepreneurial model in Ghana with a large-scale, state-backed public-private partnership in Nigeria, analyzing their motivations, land acquisition challenges, and social impacts.

This fact sheet describes Ghana's participation in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition's (CCAC) Supporting National Action and Planning (SNAP) initiative to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). It details the integration of SLCP measures into national development plans, the use of the LEAP-IBC tool for emissions planning, and specific sectoral actions in transport, energy, and cooling.

This report details a study of household environmental problems in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana, focusing on the intersection of poverty, urban growth, and public health. Based on a survey of 1,000 households and physical testing of water and air, the study examines deficiencies in water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, pest control, food safety, and indoor air quality. It finds that poor households bear a disproportionate burden of environmental risks, which are strongly associated with childhood diarrhoea and respiratory infections.