Institutional Adaptation to Climate Change and Flooding in Accra, Ghana A thesis presented to the faculty of the Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Audrey N. K. Komey August 2015 © 2015 Audrey N. K. Komey. All Rights Reserved. 2 This thesis titled Institutional Adaptation to Climate Change and Flooding in Accra, Ghana by AUDREY N. K. KOMEY has been approved for the Program of Environmental Studies and the Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs by Elizabeth E. Wangui Assistant Professor of Geography Mark Weinberg Director, Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs 3 ABSTRACT KOMEY, AUDREY N. K., M.S., August 2015, Environmental Studies Institutional Adaptation to Climate Change and Flooding in Accra, Ghana Director of Thesis: Elizabeth E. Wangui In the wake of climate change and flood severity in Ghana, the government of Ghana has developed a ten year adaptation strategy document (National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy) to assist institutions and stakeholders in addressing the impact of climate change in various sectors of the country. Institutional role has become necessary in tackling flood simply because the success of any adaptation strategies in part depend on the institutional arrangement in place and studies have been conducted to affirm this argument (Agrawal, McSweeney & Perrin, 2008; IPCC 2013). This thesis focuses on an analysis of the document and how it addresses flooding in the wake of climate change. Flooding forms a major disaster that the country as a whole faces annually but focus is on the Greater Accra region specifically the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). The study documents the strengths and weaknesses of the document as a national adaptation document. It establishes that though the document exists, it is not available to the institutions and the assembly members for implementation of the strategies. Further, in relation to local institutions, the research finds that assembly members are more committed to addressing flood problems and taking the initiatives to undertake minor projects in their communities to minimize the effects of flooding. These minor projects such as de-siltation and clean ups are in themselves adaptation strategies (Linham & Nicholls 2010). The study also finds that lack of communication among institutions, limited resources, lack of 4 institutional leadership and social connection in accessing resources were barriers to successful planning and implementation of adaptation strategies. 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The successful completion of this thesis was made possible by the guidance and immerse support of a lot of people and acknowledging them individually will just be impossible. It is however my hope that the few names I mention will cover for all of them. My first and utmost thank is to God Almighty, who for His guidance and abundant grace has seen me through this work. I offer my sincerest gratitude to Dr Edna Wangui for accepting to be the chair of my thesis committee. She has supported me throughout my thesis with her patience and knowledge. I attribute the level of my Master’s degree to her encouragement and effort. One simply could not wish for a better advisor. I also like to thank the other committee members, Dr Geoffrey Dabelko and Dr Harold Perkins for their inputs in the work. To all selected officials and assembly members, thank you for making time out of your busy schedule to allow me interview you and provide me with important information. To Carl Sena Afenu, thank you for developing the drainage map of Accra. To my parents and siblings, thank you for supporting me through all these years of education. Your encouragement has seen me through difficult times. Finally, I like to thank my husband Paa Kwesi for his support through this work and to my daughter Nana Adowa for her love. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ................................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................5 List of Tables .......................................................................................................................9 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................10 List of Abbreviations .........................................................................................................11 Chapter One: Introduction .................................................................................................13 1.1 Background………………………………………………………………………..13 1.2 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………….15 1.3 Research Question………………………………………………………………...16 1.4 Presentation of Research…………………………………………………………..17 Chapter Two: Review of Literature ...................................................................................18 2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..18 2.2 Conceptual Framework……………………………………………………………18 2.2.1 Institutions and Their Importance .....................................................................19 2.2.2 Institutional Barriers .........................................................................................21 2.2.3 Key Features of Adaptive Institutions ..............................................................24 2.2.3.1 Leadership………………………………………………………………..24 2.2.3.2 Resource…….…..………………………………………………………..25 2.2.3.3 Fair Governance…..………..…………………………………………….26 2.2.3.4 Variety……...…………………………………………………………….26 2.2.3.5 Learning Capacity…...………..…………...……………………………..26 2.2.3.6 Ability to Adapt...……………………………..………………………….27 2.2.4 Practical Assessment of the Key Features of Adaptive Institutions .................27 2.3 Climate Change Adaptation and Flooding………………………………………...30 2.3.1 Climate Change Adaptation ..............................................................................30 2.3.1.1 Planned Adaptation and Coastal Flooding……………………………….32 2.3.2 Definition of Flooding and Causes………………………………....………...34 7 Chapter Three: Study Area in Context ...............................................................................37 3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..37 3.2 Climate Change Context in Ghana………………………………………………..37 3.3 Accra Metropolitan Assembly Context…………………………………………...38 3.3.1 History and Geographic Characteristics of AMA .............................................38 3.3.1.1 Geographic Location and Climate Variability…………………...…….…39 3.3.1.2 Geology…………..………………………………………………….…...42 3.3.1.3 Vegetation………..…….…………………………………………….......43 3.3.1.4 Drainage System in the Metropolis………………………………....……44 3.3.1.5 Demographic Characteristics……………….………..…………....……..45 3.3.1.6 Economic Infrastructure……………………………………………….....46 3.3.2 Flooding in Accra, Causes and Effects……………………………………….52 3.3.2.1 Causes of Flooding ………………………………………..…..….……..53 3.3.2.2 Effects of Accra Floods…………….……………….…………………...60 3.4 Institutional Profiling……………………………………………………………...62 3.4.1 Ministry of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation .......................62 3.4.2 Town and Country Planning Department .........................................................62 3.4.3 Accra Metropolitan Department .......................................................................63 3.4.4 National Disaster Management Organization ...................................................63 3.4.5 Hydrological Service of Ghana .........................................................................63 Chapter Four: Research Methodology ...............................................................................65 4.1 Data Needs and Sources…………………………………………………………..65 4.2 Data Collection……………………………………………………………………68 4.2.1 Key Informant Interviews .................................................................................68 4.2.2 Secondary Data .................................................................................................70 4.3 Data Analysis……………………………………………………………………...70 4.3.1 Key Informant Interview ...................................................................................70 4.3.2 Document Analysis ...........................................................................................71 4.4 Research Limitation……………………………………………………………….71 Chapter Five: Data Presentation and Analysis...................................................................72 5.1 Flooding as Addressed in the NCCAS……………………………………………72 8 5.2 Flood Control Practices Implemented by the Institutions………………………...78 5.2.1 Current Practices/Planned Adaptation Measures ..............................................79 5.2.2 Proposed Adaptation Measures .........................................................................82 5.3 Adaptive Capacity at Constituency Level…...…………………………………....86 Chapter Six: Recommendation and Conclusion ................................................................90 6.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..90 6.2 Lessons from Mozambique’s NAPA……………………………………………...90 6.3 Recommendations………………………………………………………………....92 6.4 Opportunities for Further Research……………...………………………………..95 6.5 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...96 References ..........................................................................................................................98 Appendix A: Interview Guide…………………………………….…………..………...105 9 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 3.1: