TY - JOUR
T1 - Adaptation to Climatic Hazards in the Savannah Ecosystem
T2 - Improving Adaptation Policy and Action
AU - Yiran, Gerald A.B.
AU - Stringer, Lindsay C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - People in Ghana’s savannah ecosystem have historically experienced a range of climatic hazards that have affected their livelihoods. In view of current climate variability and change, and projected increases in extreme events, adaptation to climate risks is vital. Policies have been put in place to enhance adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa in accordance with international agreements. At the same time, local people, through experience, have learned to adapt. This paper examines current policy actions and their implementation alongside an assessment of barriers to local adaptation. In doing so it links adaptation policy and practice. Policy documents were analysed that covered key livelihood sectors, which were identified as climate sensitive. These included agriculture, water, housing and health policies, as well as the National Climate Change Policy. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were also held with key stakeholders in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Analyses were carried using thematic content analysis. Although policies and actions complement each other, their integration is weak. Financial, institutional, social, and technological barriers hinder successful local implementation of some policy actions, while lack of local involvement in policy formulation also hinders adaptation practice. Integration of local perspectives into policy needs to be strengthened in order to enhance adaptation. Coupled with this is a need to consider adaptation to climate change in development policies and to pursue efforts to reduce or remove the key barriers to implementation at the local level.
AB - People in Ghana’s savannah ecosystem have historically experienced a range of climatic hazards that have affected their livelihoods. In view of current climate variability and change, and projected increases in extreme events, adaptation to climate risks is vital. Policies have been put in place to enhance adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa in accordance with international agreements. At the same time, local people, through experience, have learned to adapt. This paper examines current policy actions and their implementation alongside an assessment of barriers to local adaptation. In doing so it links adaptation policy and practice. Policy documents were analysed that covered key livelihood sectors, which were identified as climate sensitive. These included agriculture, water, housing and health policies, as well as the National Climate Change Policy. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were also held with key stakeholders in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Analyses were carried using thematic content analysis. Although policies and actions complement each other, their integration is weak. Financial, institutional, social, and technological barriers hinder successful local implementation of some policy actions, while lack of local involvement in policy formulation also hinders adaptation practice. Integration of local perspectives into policy needs to be strengthened in order to enhance adaptation. Coupled with this is a need to consider adaptation to climate change in development policies and to pursue efforts to reduce or remove the key barriers to implementation at the local level.
KW - Adaptation
KW - Multiple climatic hazards
KW - Policy action
KW - Savannah ecosystem
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020735607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00267-017-0901-9
DO - 10.1007/s00267-017-0901-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 28608036
AN - SCOPUS:85020735607
SN - 0364-152X
VL - 60
SP - 665
EP - 678
JO - Environmental Management
JF - Environmental Management
IS - 4
ER -