Exploring The Trends And Impacts Of Climate Change-Induced Coastal Hazards In Keta, Ghana: Existing Adaptation Strategies And Possibilities Of Nature-Based Solutions

The rise in climate change-induced hazards including floods, erosion, tidal waves, and storms across coastal socio-ecological zones in recent years poses significant threats to the achievement of sustainable development. The Keta Municipality in the Volta Region of Ghana is arguably one of the most vulnerable to a range of climate-induced coastal hazards. The main purpose of the study is to explore the trends and impacts of climate change-induced coastal hazards in Keta, Ghana, with existing adaptation strategies and possibilities of nature-based solutions. The study employed household questionnaire surveys (n=90), key institutional stakeholder surveys (n=18), and Landuse/Landcover Change (LULC) assessment of the years 2010 and 2020 for data collection and analysis. Results for the trends and impacts of climate change-induced hazards in the Keta township show that respondents reported (51%) for floods and (28%) for erosion as the most common climate change-induced coastal hazards. 18% of respondents identified high tide in certain parts of the township with fewer reports for stormwater (3%). The impacts of these hazards according to respondents over the years have included the displacement of households (57%) and destruction of properties (77%) in the township. The existing local-level adaptation and mitigation options for these hazards over the years have been; (i) the filling of compounds with sea sand to reduce floods and erosion impacts in Xekpa (26%), Tetekorpe (16%), Gobamodzi (21%), and Keta (21%) communities, (ii) the creation of holes in fence walls to reduce floods and tidal waves impacts by respondents in Xekpa (12%), Tetekorpe (10%), Gobamodzi (9%), Abutiakorpe (11%), Keta (21%), Vui (13%), and Dzelukorpe (20%), and (iii) the planting of trees to reduce erosion and other benefits in the township. Evidence of Nature-based solutions exists in the communities’ approaches to managing climate change-induced hazards in the township. However, the majority of respondents preferred floodwater transfer (37%), planting trees and grass (52%), construction of wetlands (50%), and managing of ponds (53%) to reduce climate change-induced hazards impacts in the township. Challenges to adopting nature-based solutions in the township included the cost of managing hazards (84%), availability of space for nature-based solutions (57%), availability of materials (66%), and severity of the climate-induced hazards (69%). Results from the landuse/landcover change assessment show that an increase in waterbody (0.4%), vegetation (1.4%), and farmlands (4%) occurred. Significant loss of settlements (5.5%) and bareland (3.3%) also occurred. This result has several implications on future climate-induced hazards impacts in the Keta township. Key institutional stakeholders’ study reveals that the lack of expertise, inadequate finance, lack of engagement with the local community, and political influence were major hindrances to the design, implantation, and management of Nature-based solutions in the township. To ensure that the Keta township is adequately prepared to adapt to climate change-induced hazards, the following recommendations should be considered. There should be a holistic involvement of all institutional stakeholders and the local community members at every stage of adaptation and Nature-based solutions planning and implementation. Secondly, adaptation strategies to managing climate-induced hazards should consider the use of sustainable long-term solutions while incorporating traditional ecological knowledge of the use of the natural environment. Furthermore, there should be adequate provision of human and infrastructural resources and planning of budgetary to support the adoption of nature-based solutions in the Keta township. As climate change-induced coastal hazards pose possible future threats in Keta, there should be occasional monitoring of the trends and impacts of hazards within the township. Keywords: Climate change, Adaptation, Nature-based solutions, Coastal, Hazards, Keta, Impacts

Source: UG