Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/23113
Browse
144 results
Search Results
Item Modelling the drivers of land use and land cover change of the great Amanzule wetland ecosystem to inform the development policy of the southwestern oil-rich region of Ghana(Heliyon, 2024-08-20) Adarkwah,F.; Awuni,S.; Hajek,M.; Kübler,D.; Mattah,M.; Gordon,C.; Owusu,H.E.This study focused on the current and future drivers of land-use change and its impact on the Amanzule wetland. It suggests policy implications for reviewing and strengthening existing policies for sustainable land use. This study employed remote sensing and GIS techniques, including participatory rural appraisal techniques. The administration of questionnaires and focus group discussions were conducted in the Ellembelle and Jomoro municipalities, where the Amanzule wetland provides economic and social services. The results showed increased land use over the last 32 years driven by various drivers, including food crop production, rubber plantations, oil and gas establishments, and infrastructure development. The study further revealed that these drivers could influence land-use change in 18 years (2018–2036). Urbanisation, cropland, rubber plantations, and shrubland will drive land-use change in the study area between 2036 and 2054. The Amanzule wetland area is expected to decrease from 272.34 ha in 2018 to 210.60 ha by 2036. The wetland area is expected to further decrease from 210.60 ha in 2036 to 174.33 ha by 2054. Other land use classes, such as mangrove and swamp forests, are also expected to decrease within the same period. The study recommends advocating for a wetland policy, enforcing the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 925 and the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act 919 for sustainable development.Item Digital Platforms in Climate Information Service Delivery for Farming in Ghana(African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021) Sarku, R.; Adiku, P.; Appiah, D.O.; et al.Phone-based applications, Internet connectivity, and big data are enabling climate change adaptations. From ICT for development and agriculture perspectives, great interest exists in how digital platforms support climate information provision for smallholder farmers in Africa. The vast majority of these platforms both private and public are for delivering climate information services and for data collection. The sheer number of digital platforms in the climate information sector has created a complex information landscape for potential information users, with platforms differing in information type, technology, geographic coverage, financing structures, and infrastructure. This chapter mapped the existing climate information services and examined their impact on policy and practices in smallholder farming development in Africa, with a focus on Ghana. Specifically, the chapter provides highlights of digital platforms available to smallholder farmers and agricultural extension agents, analyzes the public and/or private governance arrangements that underpin the implementation of digital climate information delivery, and assesses the potential of these platforms in scaling up the use of climate information. The chapter contributes to understanding the dynamics of climate information delivery with digital tools in Africa and suggests a future research agenda.Item Assessing nuanced social networks and its implication for climate change adaptation in northwestern Ghana(World Development Perspectives, 2022) Alare, R.S.; Lawson, E.T.; Mensah, A.; et al.The current uncertainty, frequency and intensity of climate change impacts limit opportunities for climate adaptation among smallholder farmers in developing countries. This paper seeks to critically examine how gendered relations at the household level influence access to social networks for climate change adaptation in northwestern Ghana. By doing so, the study contributes to an improved understanding of how inter-gender dynamics shape adaptive capacities among vulnerable groups. Using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and key informant interviews, a total sample size of 156 respondents were studied. The study also employed an intersectional framework and a network analysis to examine the nuanced networks of smallholder farmer households. Findings revealed that the interplay of age, marital status and educational levels influenced access to social networks for support in minimising climate risk. As such, promoting adaptation actions without addressing structural and relational inequalities within vulnerable communities may deepen existing inequalities.Item Community forestry in Cameroon: Insights on state institutional deficits(Trees, Forests and People, 2022) Alemagi, D.; Nukpezah, D.; Peter, M.; et al.Community forestry (CF) was set-up in Cameroon about 20 years ago to enable better environmental, economic, and social benefits for communities. Since then, 430 community forests have been attributed, covering an area of almost 1.7 million ha. However, less than a quarter (10%) are in active management or enterprise. Weak institutions have been widely cited as a leading cause of poor performance in the community forestry process. This paper examines the current state of institutional deficits in Cameroon and identifies pathways for overcoming the deficits. Our analysis is based on a rigorous review of documented experiences so far. Results obtained revealed that emerging deficits revolve around form and function. Legal; power, authority and rights; and size and biophysical potential deficits grouped under the realm of form while resources; capacity; and governance deficits were grouped under the realm of functions. Proposed solutions to these deficits point to the need to recognize and manage inter-dependencies between challenges and corresponding potential solutions. Hence, a system or integrated approach is needed to tackle the problems identified.Item An analysis of climate change and health hazards: results from an international study(International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2022) Filho, W.L.; Anuga, S.W.; Ternova, L.; et al.Purpose: The interconnections between climate change and health are well studied. However, there is a perceived need for studies that examine how responses to health hazards (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, ozone) layer effects, allergens, mental health and vector-borne diseases) may assist in reducing their impacts. The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence on health responses to climate hazards and list some measures to address them. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed literature review, bibliometric analysis and an original online survey were undertaken on 140 participants from 55 countries spread across all geographical regions. Findings – The bibliometric analysis identified that most climate-related health hazards are associated with extreme weather events. However, only one-third of the investigated papers specifically analysed the connections between climate change and health hazards, revealing a thematic gap. Also, although Africa is highly affected by climate change, only 5% of the assessed studies focused on this continent. Many respondents to the survey indicated “heat distress” as a significant vulnerability. The survey also identified social determinants relevant to climate-induced health vulnerabilities, such as socioeconomic and environmental factors, infrastructure and pre-existing health conditions. Most respondents agree that policies and regulations are the most effective adaptation tools to address the public health hazards triggered by climate change. This paper presents some suggestions for optimising public health responses to health hazards associated with climate change, such as the inclusion of climate-related components in public health policies, setting up monitoring systems to assess the extent to which specific climate events may pose a health threat, establishing plans to cope with the health implications of heatwaves, increased measures to protect vulnerable groups and education and awareness-raising initiatives to reduce the overall vulnerability of the population to climate-related health hazards. These measures may assist the ongoing global efforts to understand and cope with the impacts of climate change. change on health. Originality/value: the combination of a literature review, bibliometric analysis and an original world survey identified and presented a wide range of responses.Item New directions in earth system governance research(Earth System Governance, 2019) Burch, S.; Gupta, A.; Gordon, C.; et al.The Earth System Governance project is a global research alliance that explores novel, effective gover nance mechanisms to cope with the current transitions in the biogeochemical systems of the planet. A decade after its inception, this article offers an overview of the project's new research framework (which is built upon a review of existing earth system governance research), the goal of which is to continue to stimulate a pluralistic, vibrant and relevant research community. This framework is composed of contextual conditions (transformations, inequality, Anthropocene and diversity), which capture what is being observed empirically, and five sets of research lenses (architecture and agency, democracy and power, justice and allocation, anticipation and imagination, and adaptiveness and reflexivity). Ultimately the goal is to guide and inspire the systematic study of how societies prepare for accelerated climate change and wider earth system change, as well as policy responsesItem Complex multispatio-periodic land use and land cover change processes, and woody resources management in a forest-Savanna Ecotone, Ghana(Trees, Forests and People, 2021) Opoku, P.; Adu-Asare, A.Vegetation change discourse in tropical Africa is characterized by assumptions of generalised deforestation and degradation. Premised on the concept of the heterogeneity of the tropical African landscape, we make a multispatio-periodic analysis of land use and land cover change (LULCC), and examine its ramifications for woody resources of a forest-Savanna transition, that is characterized by assumed deforestation change discourse. Landsat data for 1985, 2000 and 2016, classified into seven (7) LULC categories were analyzed for change for 1985–2016, 1985–2000 and 2000–2016: for the whole study area, and six (6) smaller localities. In 1985–2016, all woody vegetation categories of the study area experienced reduction: ranging between 60.00% and 23.61%. Reduction in woodland was higher in 1985–2000. Dense woodland cover reduced in, practically, all localities in 1985–2000. The LULCC mechanism was a complex transfer among LULC types, resulting in different emergent LULC types. Hence, change process was not a simple linear deforestation and degradation. Dense woodland that existed at the end of each period was, predominately, regenerated from pre-existing fallow, rather than remnants of ‘virgin’ or pre-existing dense woodland. When pre-existing woody cover was higher, greater amount of woody vegetation regenerates by transformation in a shorter period, whereas limited woody regeneration of woody vegetation on pre-existing fallows dominateswhen there is limited pre-existing woodland, through a long pro cesses of conversion and transformation. Therefore, maintaining higher woody vegetation cover will promote quicker and substantial regeneration of woody vegetation, and availability of woody resources for sustainable wood-based livelihoods, such as charcoal productionItem Biodiversity and ecosystem services on the African continent – What is changing, and what are our options?(Environmental Development, 2021) Archer, E.; Dziba, L.E.; Gordon, C.; et al.Throughout the world, biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people are under threat, with clear changes evident. Biodiversity and ecosystem services have particular value in Africa– yet they are negatively impacted by a range of drivers, including land use and climate change. In this communication, we show evidence of changing biodiversity and ecosystem services in Africa, as well as the current most significant drivers of change. We then consider five plausible futures for the African continent, each underlain by differing assumptions. In three out of the five futures under consideration, negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are likely to persist. Those two plausible futures prioritizing environment and sustainability, however, are shown as the most likely paths to achieving long term development objectives without compromising the continent’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. Such a finding shows clearly that achievement of such objectives cannot be separated from full recognition of the value of such services.Item Innovative Spectral Characterisation Of Beached Pelagic Sargassum Towards Remote Estimation Of Biochemical And Phenotypic Properties(Science of the Total Environment, 2023) Fidai, Y.A.; Machado, B.; Jayson-Quashigah, P.N.; et al.In recent years, pelagic sargassum (S. fluitans and S. natans, henceforth sargassum) macroalgal Blooms have become more frequent and larger with higher biomass in the Tropical Atlantic region. They have environmental and socio-economic impacts, particularly on coastal ecosystems, tourism, fisheries and aquaculture industries, and on public health. Despite these challenges, sargassum biomass has the potential to offer commercial opportunities in the blue economy, although it is reliant on key chemical and physical characteristics of the sargassum for specific use. In this study,we aim to utilise remotely sensed spectral profiles to determine species and morphotypes at different decomposition stages and their biochemical composition to support monitoring and valorisation of sargassum. For this, we undertook dedicated field campaigns in Barbados and Ghana to collect the first time, in situ spectral measurements between 350 and 2500 nm using a Spectra Vista Corp (SVC) HR-1024i field spectrometer of pelagic sargassum-stranded biomass. The spectral measurements were complemented by uncrewed aerial system surveys using a DJI Phantom 4 drone and a DJI P4 multispectral instrument. Using the ground and airborne datasets, this research developed an operational framework for remote detection of beached sargassum and created spectral profiles of species and morphotypes and decomposition maps to infer biochemical composition. We were able to identify some key spectral regions, including a consistent absorption feature (920 – 1080 nm) found in all of the sargassum morphotype spectral profiles; we also observed distinction between fresh and recently beached sargassum, particularly around 900–1000 nm. This work can support pelagic sargassum management and contribute to effective utilisation of the sargassum biomass to ultimately alleviate some of the socio-economic impacts associated with this emerging environmental challenge.Item An Ecotoxicologically Relevant Approach To Water Quality Monitoring For Contaminants Of Emerging Concern(Frontiers in Water, 2023) Schoenfuss, H.L.; Kolok, A.S.Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) have been documented across the seven continents, including Antarctica, and are likely an impediment to the sustainable management of natural resources. Most studies to date have relied on sweeping chemistry surveys, reliant upon sophisticated instrumentation. This approach is expensive, relies on limited laboratory capacity, and generates results that are spatially and temporally constrained. Here, we review existing approaches that can overcome these limitations by focusing on