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Locally-led adaptation as a silver bullet? Complexities, needs, and responses in climate adaptation at the Volta coastline, Ghana

Bretus, Borbala Blanka LU (2024) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20241
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Sea-level rise increases the exposure of low-lying communities to climate risks along the eastern coast of Ghana, while adaptation responses are reactive and insufficient to secure fishing livelihoods in highly vulnerable areas. To better address needs, Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) promotes just climate governance by shifting power to local actors to enable context-specific and place-based responses. Following a literature review, site observations and twenty-two semi-structured interviews, findings indicate that nature-based solutions could be implemented according to the LLA concept, however, those are not yet widely recognized in Ghana for coastal adaptation, with grey infrastructure being prioritized. De-centralized governance... (More)
Sea-level rise increases the exposure of low-lying communities to climate risks along the eastern coast of Ghana, while adaptation responses are reactive and insufficient to secure fishing livelihoods in highly vulnerable areas. To better address needs, Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) promotes just climate governance by shifting power to local actors to enable context-specific and place-based responses. Following a literature review, site observations and twenty-two semi-structured interviews, findings indicate that nature-based solutions could be implemented according to the LLA concept, however, those are not yet widely recognized in Ghana for coastal adaptation, with grey infrastructure being prioritized. De-centralized governance structures, enabling policy framework, and strong collaboration with NGOs are in place to implement LLA, however, horizontal and vertical governance mechanisms are weak, and long-term planning and financial resources are absent to act at a delta-scale. LLA was identified as a potential approach to improving just coastal governance while recognizing its limitations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Bretus, Borbala Blanka LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Susainability Science, coastal management, grey infrastructure, nature-based solutions, decentralized governance
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2024:024
language
English
additional info
The research was supported by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy.
The research was hosted by Dr Mumuni Abu, at the Regional Institute for Population Studies, at the University of Ghana.
id
9155662
date added to LUP
2024-05-31 08:49:23
date last changed
2024-05-31 08:49:23
@misc{9155662,
  abstract     = {{Sea-level rise increases the exposure of low-lying communities to climate risks along the eastern coast of Ghana, while adaptation responses are reactive and insufficient to secure fishing livelihoods in highly vulnerable areas. To better address needs, Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) promotes just climate governance by shifting power to local actors to enable context-specific and place-based responses. Following a literature review, site observations and twenty-two semi-structured interviews, findings indicate that nature-based solutions could be implemented according to the LLA concept, however, those are not yet widely recognized in Ghana for coastal adaptation, with grey infrastructure being prioritized. De-centralized governance structures, enabling policy framework, and strong collaboration with NGOs are in place to implement LLA, however, horizontal and vertical governance mechanisms are weak, and long-term planning and financial resources are absent to act at a delta-scale. LLA was identified as a potential approach to improving just coastal governance while recognizing its limitations.}},
  author       = {{Bretus, Borbala Blanka}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Locally-led adaptation as a silver bullet? Complexities, needs, and responses in climate adaptation at the Volta coastline, Ghana}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}