Climate change and changing productive activities in Ghana: A gendered perspective

Abstract

There is consensus on the adverse consequences of climate change on the world economy, particularly on countries that are vulnerable to rising sealevels. Nevertheless, another area of concern in recent years is the impact on the poor in developing countries, especially on women. This paper explores the gender dimensions of climate change on economic activities in Ghana. In specific terms, it examines the link between climate change and changes in economic activities from agriculture to services. We use data from several rounds of the Ghana Living Standards Surveys (GLSS) to explore the extent to which changing patterns of economic activities are linked to climate change. We find possible linkages between climate change and changing economic activities. In general, we find that there has been a gradual decline in the proportion of women, and men, engaged in agricultural activities, with a corresponding increase in the proportion of women and men engaged in some service sector activities