Co-creating climate resilience in Sekondi Takoradi (GHST0003)

Commitment ID

GHST0003

Commitment Title

Co-creating climate resilience Metropolis or city of Sekondi-Takoradi

Problem

The growth of urban areas in STMA in the past two decades has declined the green belt and green vegetation has consequently caused remarkable urban thermal environmental problems. The central Government, local Assembly, and CSOs have carried out projects in Disaster Risk Reduction Management such as the sea defense wall, tree planting, wetland preservation, etc. However, sustaining the positive results and scaling them up to effect rippling positive changes in the lives of the people have been constant challenges. Threats remain, and disasters and people’s risk to disasters are still present in the metropolis. This is because the underlying causes of people’s vulnerability have yet to be fully recognized and addressed. For years, DRR has focused more on efforts around disaster response and not so much on identifying the hazard-prone areas and other factors which contribute to people’s exposure to disasters; incorporating risk analysis into development plans; building people’s capacities towards sustainable livelihood options, and the like. The poor communities in STMA are highly exposed to the negative effects of climate change such as floods. Limited institutional capacity and coordination for effective climate change action have contributed to this. The city does not have any climate-resilient local public policy and eco-Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan to respond to the negative impacts of climate change and human activities leading to the loss of the city’s greenery.

Status quo

Projects such as the sea defense wall, tree planting, wetland preservation have been the efforts to thwart the negative effects of climate change. Ghana has been losing rainforest at an alarming rate in recent years, but the government of Ghana is taking steps to change all that, and on Friday 11 June 2021 launched Green Ghana Day which saw communities come together for a massive drive to plant over 5 million trees nationwide. As part of the Green Ghana Day campaign, the Government of Ghana provided free seedlings to all individuals, government and non-governmental organisations, traditional leaders, and educational and religious institutions willing to roll up their sleeves and help out. STMA during the campaign planted 8000 trees. STMA also in 2018, launched the one-child-one-tree initiative, and about 2000 trees were planted in schools. The city’s membership in programs such as the C40 and Cities4Forest, a global knowledge-sharing platform that encourages cities to invest in urban parks, green corridors, and watersheds are parts of the efforts made so far. STMA has also launched a green building initiative where building permit fees are reduced by 30% if certified as green or powered by solar.

Action

This commitment involves the co-creation of climate resilience local public policy and eco-Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan (e-DRRP) with CSOs, government, private sector, traditional authorities, and citizen groups. Stakeholders will co-create the local climate policy and e-DRRP that will encompass management arrangements for preparing for, managing, and recovering from disaster events and institutional mechanisms for addressing disaster risk reduction, including climate change adaptation.

Expected Results:

1. Enhanced climate change resilience and adaption of the twin-city of Sekondi-Takoradi
2. Improved evidence on risk from and vulnerability to disaster in Sekondi-Takoradi and appropriate actions that could be taken to address these risks.
3. Improved understanding of the applicability of climate financing to fund adaptation actions in Sekondi-Takoradi.
4. Improved understanding at the city-level of the nature and extent of disaster risk and likely options for enhancing climate resilience

Overall Objective: to contribute to realizing a sustainable, and climate-resilient city of Sekondi-Takoradi

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

The plan will serve as a guide on how sustainable development can be achieved through inclusive growth while building the adaptive capacities of communities; increasing the resilience of vulnerable communities/sectors; and optimizing disaster mitigation opportunities with the end in view of promoting people’s welfare and security towards gender-responsive and rights-based sustainable development.

Expected Outputs:

1. Climate resilience local policy and disaster risk management plan co-created.
2. Capacity and coordination for effective climate change action and access to the Global Climate Fund by stakeholders built to effectively coordinates climate change actions and accessed funding for mitigation and adaptation actions.
3. Citizens knowledge and conservation of indigenous flora developed

Expected Outcomes:

1. Enhanced the twin-city of Sekondi-Takoradi climate resilience
2. Increased citizens knowledge on the impacts of climate change, its mitigation and adaptation

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

This commitment relates to our long-term goal of “Protecting the natural environment and ensuring a resilient Sekondi-Takoradi”. Given the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of climate-induced disasters and with the emergence of other adverse events such as geopolitical conflicts and pandemics across the globe, resilience-building activities have been prioritized by the local authority to always have those furthest behind; the poorest and most marginalised people at our heart, so that enhancing the Metro climate change resilience and adaptation is considered met unless met for all people, whoever and wherever they are. This can be achieved by ensuring that the planning process and plan implementation take into consideration the harmonization of efforts and effective participation from all key stakeholders such as government, CSOs, private sector, traditional authorities, and citizens.

Primary Policy Area

Other/NA

Primary Sector

Cross-sectoral, Environment & Climate

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?