1. Why Climate Change is every
Ghanaian’s Business
Yaw Brako Osei-Tutu
May 20, 2015
yawbot@gmail.com

2. What is Climate Change?
• Climate is the long-term pattern of
weather in a particular area.
• “Climate Change” refers to the
observed and anticipated changes in
the global climate over many years.
These changes are mostly as a result of
human activity.
• Scientific evidence tells us that climate
change will significantly affect our way
of life – unfortunately not for the better.

3. Why is the Climate Changing?
• Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (e.g.
carbon dioxide) into earth’s atmosphere
have increased so much, especially
over the past century.
• These gases trap the sun’s heat
thereby increasing the earth’s
temperature and leading to “global
warming”.
• The changes in the climate system are
associated with many negative impacts
such as erratic rainfall, droughts, rising
sea levels, extreme weather events etc.

4. Why is Climate Change every
Ghanaian’s business?
• Because climate change directly or
indirectly affects every Ghanaian.
• Because climate change isn’t just
an environmental problem, it’s also
a development problem.
• Because although climate change
affects every country, developing
countries like Ghana are more
vulnerable.

5. Why is Climate Change every
Ghanaian’s business?
• Because climate change isn’t only
a problem in the far away future -
it’s impacts are already being
recorded.
• Because mitigating and adapting
to climate change requires the
urgent and collective effort of every
Ghanaian.
• Because ordinary Ghanaians
acting now, together and differently
can make a difference.

6. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
• Ghana has already begun to
experience adverse impacts of a
changing climate according to
emerging scientific evidence.
• One such report on “Climate
Change Impacts on Water
Resources in Ghana” by Kankam-
Yeboah et al (2010) highlights the
effects of climate change.

7. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
These include:
• Drying up of hitherto perennial rivers
• Intensive rainfall and flood events in
urban communities
• Droughts and unpredictable rainfall
patterns leading to poor harvests in
rural farming communities
• Reduction in annual river flows and
groundwater recharge as well as
increased irrigation water demand

8. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
• As a result of these climate
change impacts on water
resources, the report predicts a
60% reduction in hydropower
generation by 2020.
• Overall, the report forecasts that
by 2020, all river basins would be
vulnerable and Ghana would be at
risk of an acute water shortage!

9. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
• Ghana’s major source of energy is
hydroelectric power generated by
dams like the Akosombo dam.
• Since 2013 till date, Ghana has
been suffering from the worst
energy crisis in its history.
• Low water levels in the Akosombo
dam have contributed to reduced
power supply and the resultant
rationing of electricity across the
nation.

10. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
• While inadequate energy
infrastructure may be the
fundamental cause of the energy
crisis, scientific research
nonetheless points to climate
change as a contributing factor.
• Empirical evidence indicates that
hydrologic droughts were the
primary cause of the energy
crises in 1983, 1997, 2006 and
2007 (Bekoe & Logan, 2013).

11. The Impacts of Climate Change in
Ghana are already evident…..
• The droughts resulted in low
water levels in the Akosombo dam
thereby reducing electricity-
generating capacity.
• Once again, water levels in the
Akosombo dam are low…..
• The effects of the current power
crisis have been devastating -
industry, education, healthcare
etc. have all been negatively
affected.

12. The Impacts of Climate Change
in Ghana are already evident…..
• Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs), which drive
the economy have been the
hardest hit.
• Overall, the current power crisis
has been estimated to cost Ghana
about US$622 million per annum
or about 4% of GDP (Ackah,
2015).

13. What can we do?
• Many things can done at
individual, community, national and
regional levels to address the bane
of climate change.
• We can plant more trees – Trees
absorb carbon dioxide. We need to
plant more trees to replace lost
forest cover and increase existing
vegetation.
• We can conserve energy – saving
energy will reduce strain on energy
infrastructure and resources.

14. What can we do?
• We can adopt climate smart
agriculture – this includes avoiding
“slash & burn” agriculture which
releases CO2 emissions.
• We can be advocates and
practitioners of environmentally
friendly lifestyle practices in our
homes and workplaces, increasing
awareness about climate change.

15. What can we do?
• At a community level, we can adopt
more ecologically friendly ways of
managing our waste rather than
burning it.
• At the level of government, climate
change should be prioritised as a
key challenge and a threat multiplier
of other development challenges.

16. What can we do?
• Government should provide the
necessary financial and institutional
support required to implement the
Ghana national climate change
policy.
• It is imperative that Ghana
cooperates at a regional level with
other West African and African
states to address the climate change
challenge.

17. Conclusion
• Climate change is everyone’s
business and Ghanaians are no
exception.
• While we cannot stop the global
climate from changing, we can do
many things to mitigate and adapt to
the challenge.
• It is imperative that we act NOW,
TOGETHER and DIFFERENTLY.

18. Bibliography
Ackah, C. (2015). The Electricity Insecurity and its impact
on Ghana. Proceedings at a Workshop organised by the
Economy of Ghana Network (EGN) of the Institute for
Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER),
University of Ghana, Legon on May 14, 2015
Bekoe, E. O. & Logah, F. Y. (2013). The Impact of Drought
and Climate Change on Electricity Generation in Ghana.
Environmental Sciences, Vol. 1, no. 1, 13 – 24.
Kankam-Yeboah, K., Amisigo, B. & Obuobi, E. (2010).
Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in Ghana.
Presented at the Pan-African Workshop on “Decision-
Making Support for Coastal Zone Management, Water
Resources and Climate Change in Africa”, Cotonou,
Benin, February 15 – 17, 2010.

19. Bibliography
Wikipedia article on Akosombo Dam. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akosombo_Dam on May 20,
2015
World Bank (2012). Turn Down the Heat. Why a 4 oC
Warmer World Must be Avoided. A report for the World
Bank by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact
Research and Climate Analytics.

20. Thank You