Innovation
in new technologies will be essential to reduce the long-term cost of climate
change and to support
competitiveness in Ghana, according to the World Bank.
The
Bank’s infoDev program is
considering a climate innovation hub in Ghana to accelerate locally-relevant clean technology
innovation and entrepreneurship.
More
than 100 stakeholders have met under the auspices of the World Bank in Accra to
study the establishment of the Climate Innovation Center (CIC).
The
feasibility assessment and the broader green growth agenda is in collaboration with
Ghana’s
Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), with support from the Government of
Denmark.
“We
know that climate change is bringing new challenges to Ghana’s growth and natural
resources. This is because a significant
part of Ghana’s economic activity is dependent on climate sensitive sectors
such as agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and forestry. These vulnerable sectors
support a large share of employment and livelihoods for Ghana’s rural poor,”
observed Ms. Coleen Littlejohn, World Bank Acting Country Manager
She
says it is only by greening growth that Ghana can achieve what were formerly
understood to be competing goals of robust economic expansion and proper
stewardship of the environment.
The
CIC would support domestic climate technology industries by addressing locally
relevant barriers to climate technology transfer, development and deployment by
the private sector development.
In
addition to incubating promising start-ups, the Center would also provide
access to finance, access to product testing facilities, market information,
policy advocacy and technical assistance.
Some
promising areas which potentially benefit from the CIC include climate smart
agriculture, green buildings, off-grid renewable energy, waste and water
treatment technology, climate-resistant infrastructure and energy-efficient
manufacturing.
Research
shows that strong economic growth can be combined with sustainable management
of natural resources in order to promote shared prosperity and reduce poverty.
The changing climate is expected to adversely affect
crop yields leading to a decline in agricultural GDP of 3-8% in the medium to
long term. Increasing competitiveness in non-oil and gas sectors, such as
agriculture, figures prominently in Ghana’s Shared Growth and Development
Agenda.
“The
worldwide attention to climate change and advances in clean technology offer an
opportunity to attract significant investments in clean technology and to build
up the capacity of local businesses to participate in these high value sectors”,
said Ms. Littlejohn. “By
seeking to capitalize on these advances in modern, clean technologies, Ghana
can strengthen its resilience to climate change while also building its
competitiveness in clean technology markets and industries”.
The first CIC was opened in Kenya in September 2012, and new
centers are being established in Ethiopia, India, South Africa, Vietnam and the
Caribbean region.
It
is important that the CIC, if established in Ghana, is tailored to meet the
needs of local industry, investors, technology and skills, and strengthen the
capacity of these groups, noted Ms. Littlejohn.
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