Ghana

Ghana ratified the UNFCCC in 1995, submitted its first and second communications in 2000 and 2011 respectively and is in the process of preparing the third. GHG emissions increased 107% between 1990 and 2006; nevertheless they represent about 0.05% of global GHG emissions. Climate change priorities are gaining momentum in the political sphere and across economic sectors.

In 2010 the Government published “Ghana Goes for Green Growth: National Engagement on Climate Change”. This document paved the way for the adoption of the National Climate Change Policy Framework in 2011, and the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), approved by the Cabinet in 2013. The NCCP aims to promote a low carbon development, increase policy coherence on climate change, and increase Ghana’s attractiveness to funding for mitigation strategies such as REDD+. It acknowledges that economic modernisation will increase emissions but argues that the new development path will reduce emissions against the BAU baseline through energy waste reduction, better infrastructure and improved public transport. Its five priority areas are: agriculture and food security; disaster preparedness and response; natural resource management; equitable social development; and energy, industrial and infrastructural development.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) is responsible for co-ordinating the climate change activities and carrying out GHG inventories. EPA has a National Climate Change committee made up of representatives from ministries, universities, research institutions private sector and NGOs. A Designated National Authority for CDM has been established under the MEST. The Ministry of Finance has also set up a climate change desk to support related activities.

The Second National Communication lists more than 30 projects in sectors including energy, transport, forestry and institutional strengthening; examples include the Ghana Cocoa Carbon Initiative funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Carbon Finance Project funded by the World Bank and the Vehicles Emissions Programme by the EPA.

Energy supply

The energy mix is dominated by biomass (wood and charcoal) at 65.6%, petroleum products at 26% and electricity at 8.4%. Electricity is mainly provided from hydro-electric sources. The discovery of offshore oil reserves was announced in 2007, encouraging expectations of a major economic boost. The Jubilee oil field, where production began in 2010, is expected to provide enough energy to meet 30% of Ghana’s current electricity demand.

Initiatives promoting renewable energy date back to the mid-1990s and include the GEF-sponsored ‘Renewable Energy-Based Electricity for Rural, Social and Economic Development in Ghana’ Programme. This is being followed by the ‘Ghana Energy Development and Access Project’.

Energy Policy Ghana 2010 proposes a significant expansion of its energy infrastructure and supply base to help achieve development goals. The policy proposes measures such as institutional reform, fiscal incentives, financing and competition to double power generation from 2GW to 5GW by 2015, enable universal access by 2020 from the 66% coverage in 2010, and promote the sustainable exploration of the petroleum sector. Within this expansion, diversification of the energy supply base and an increase in renewable energy occupies a prominent role. Ghana is well endowed with biomass, hydrocarbons, hydropower, solar and wind resources that it aims to explore and expand, while also exploring options for nuclear and biofuels.

The 2011 Renewable Energy Act mandates an increase in renewable energy capacity; particularly solar and hydroelectric power generation. Some 10,000 homes in areas that are off the electricity grid have been electrified through the provision of photovoltaic panels.

The Second National Communication (2011) brings targets for the use of renewables in order to promote mitigation measures. These include: replacing biomass with LPG at a rate of 10% from 1995-2020; a gradual increase in solar PV capacity; 15% of rural electrification to come from decentralised renewable energy by 2015, expanding to 30% by 2020; reducing average wood fuel energy intensity per household by 30% by 2015 and by 50% by 2020; reducing firewood intensity per rural household by 10% by 2020; achieving 1% solar energy in hotels, restaurants and big kitchens using solar water heaters by 2015 and 5% penetration by 2020; and 10% increase of biogas in cooking from 2010 to 2020.

Energy demand

Ghana’s need for sustained economic growth is bound to increase its energy consumption in the coming years. Currently oil products account for 29% of total energy used in 2000, with biomass and electricity counting for 60% and 11% respectively. In 2006, the energy sector accounted for 41% of the total emissions (with transport and residential property dominating). According to the Energy Policy document of 2010, demand for fuel wood and charcoal is estimated to grow at 3%, electricity at 6-7%, petroleum at 5% per annum.

Energy demand policies include fiscal incentives, increasing public awareness, pricing mechanisms, improving institutional and human resource capacities and financial intermediation to increase efficiency and promote conservation. Specific measures include: discontinue the use of high energy consumption vehicles and inefficient electrical equipment and appliances; reducing petroleum consumption in transportation (road transport accounts for 93% of fuel use from 2000-2004); reducing electricity transmission and distribution losses (in the electricity distribution, systemic loses are about 25% while wastage is estimated at 30%); promoting more efficient wood fuel equipment for cooking (about 90% of rural households), and establishment of a centre for energy efficiency.

The Second National Communication (2011) reiterates Ghana’s commitment of  5% reduction in the use of petroleum products and electricity between 2000 to 2004, 10% between 2005 to 2010, 20% between 2011 to 2014 and 50% between 2015 to 2020 (all compared to 2000 as base year). It also proposes that railways shall be deregulated for more efficiency and to enable a nationwide mass transit system. A UNDP supported energy efficiency refrigeration project and a pilot Bus Rapid Transit project are currently being implemented.

REDD+ and LULUCF

Today about 22% of Ghana remains forested. The forestry sector employs approximately 100,000 people and supports the livelihoods of 2.5 million people, contributing about 6% to GDP. Yet forests are being rapidly depleted. The correlation between development and energy consumption, together with Ghana’s huge reliance on wood to meet domestic energy demand, suggests that meeting development targets will further increase demand for firewood and put huge pressures on remaining forests. The 2006 Country Environmental Analysis anticipates complete loss of natural forest in or around 2025. Almost 70% of land is prone to soil erosion.

Ghana is participating in the Forest Investment Programme (FIP). Innovations in Ghana’s FIP investment plan include provisions for Payment for Environmental Services (PES); creating a rapid response unit for protected areas, illegal logging and wildfire; and developing a carbon benefits-sharing scheme linked to tree tenure. While the investment plan has not been finalised it is anticipated that Ghana will receive in the order of USD50m from the FIP.

Ghana also participates in the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). It is currently in the Implementation Phase of its National Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP). REDD+ Readiness started in 2010, including the development of a national REDD+ strategy. Although there is currently no specific REDD+ legislation, forestry programmes are being developed in line with REDD+ such as the REDDES project.

According to the Second National Communication (2011), the government is to embark on an afforestation and rehabilitation of degraded lands programme. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) is the lead national entity responsible for overall oversight and direction on REDD+ activities.

Adaptation

About 70% of the population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture (fisheries, crop and animal farming) and the forest sector. Consequently, based on a 20-year baseline climate observation, it is forecast that because of climate change, yields for maize and other cereal crop will fall by 7% by 2050. There is high dependence on rain-fed agriculture (under 1% of cultivated land is irrigated) that is vulnerable to flooding, erratic and falling rainfall patterns. It is expected that these changes could make most of the country unsuitable for the predominant crop, cocoa. Threats to food security, land degradation, deforestation, rural-urban migration, flooding and erosion of coastal urban zone are also identified as key vulnerabilities.

A National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) was developed in 2012 with the support of UNEP-UNDP and the Danish Ministry of Foreign affairs. The document outlines strategies to increase climate resilience, decrease the vulnerability of the population, deepen awareness, draw from funding opportunities, and facilitate mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction to national development frameworks. It proposes to build capacity in the area of infrastructure and knowledge to deal with climate change impacts and reduce vulnerability in key sectors, ecosystems, districts and regions of the country.

In addition, the National Development Planning Commission and The National Disaster Risk Reduction Organisation are facilitating initiatives to mainstream Climate Change and disaster risk reduction from national to district planning levels. A guidebook on this has been developed, and pilot project is being implemented in 10 districts.