Foresight Planners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Ghana’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Project, has organized a consultative training workshop with stakeholders in Keta Municipality. The event forms part of national efforts to develop district-level Climate Adaptation Plans aimed at enhancing climate resilience and building adaptive capacity in vulnerable communities.
Held at the Keta Municipal Assembly conference room, the workshop brought together municipal officials, environmental experts, community leaders, and technical officers to discuss climate change impacts and appropriate local adaptation strategies.
Welcoming participants, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) expressed appreciation to the Foresight Planners, MESTI, EPA, and the Ghana NAP Project for their technical support. He emphasized the growing awareness of climate change’s harmful effects, particularly the destruction of mangroves and coastal erosion in Keta. The MCE stressed the importance of developing an effective Climate Adaptation Plan and appealed for support to mobilize resources for its implementation.
Dr. Bob, the lead facilitator, introduced participants to climate change concepts, explaining both natural and human-induced causes and their sectoral impacts. He clarified the difference between mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (managing impacts) and outlined the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), established in 2018 to guide national and local climate adaptation efforts.
He highlighted the EPA’s role in supporting adaptation policy development, awareness creation, and technical assistance for district-level planning. The session also covered climate change impacts globally and locally, using examples from Korea, Sri Lanka, and coastal Ghana.
Dr. Bob presented a procedural framework for Local Adaptation Planning (LAP), emphasizing risk and vulnerability assessments, goal setting, selecting adaptation measures, and establishing monitoring and evaluation systems. He underscored the importance of district-specific planning and shared case studies from other coastal areas.
Participants formed focus groups to address various climate risks and vulnerabilities affecting Keta, including hazard identification, vulnerability mapping, seasonal hazard calendars, and gender-specific vulnerabilities. Each group contributed practical insights, leading to a comprehensive draft of the Adaptation Action Plan.
Stakeholders offered feedback on the feasibility of proposed measures, identified challenges, and suggested solutions for implementation. Discussions highlighted the importance of integrating adaptation measures into the municipality’s broader development framework.
The workshop concluded with agreement on incorporating suggested interventions, such as tree planting and improved coastal management, into the final Adaptation Plan. Dr. Bob assured participants that their inputs would be reflected in the plan, with a validation workshop scheduled to finalize and endorse the document.
The finalized Adaptation Plan will contribute significantly to the Ghana NAP Project’s goal of building climate-resilient communities and safeguarding livelihoods in Keta
