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Too weak to lead: motivation, agenda setting and constraints of local government to implement decentralized climate change adaptation policy in Ghana

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  • Issah Justice Musah-Surugu

    (University of Ghana Business School)

  • Albert Ahenkan

    (University of Ghana Business School)

  • Justcie Nyigmah Bawole

    (University of Ghana Business School)

Abstract

Local governments in developing countries are christened as proadaptation agents. However, global research effort has virtually ignored inherent adaptation policy implementation nuances in developing countries, ostensibly assuming that narratives from existing policy implementation literature could fill the void. Drawing on qualitative data from six LGs from Ghana, this paper examines the motivation, agenda setting processes and teething challenges constricting the implementation of decentralized climate change adaptation governance in Ghana. Though adherents of decentralization argue that local governments are more likely to conceive and implement proadaptation-related interventions, evidence from Ghana provides fascinating lessons. This paper shows that local governments’ ability to mainstream adaptation-related actions into local governance is constricted by taxonomy of local political economy issues and the “science-heaviness” of climate change. It concludes that local government are unlikely to be a fulcrum of adaptation governance as touted if reasonable efforts are not made at strengthening and broadening its resource basket.

Suggested Citation

  • Issah Justice Musah-Surugu & Albert Ahenkan & Justcie Nyigmah Bawole, 2019. "Too weak to lead: motivation, agenda setting and constraints of local government to implement decentralized climate change adaptation policy in Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 587-607, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:21:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-017-0049-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-017-0049-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Va Dany & Louis Lebel, 2020. "Integrating Concerns with Climate Change into Local Development Planning in Cambodia," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(2), pages 221-243, March.

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