ID: 1524
Presenting Author: Beryl Adormaa Buanya
Session: 606 - Climate change impact assessments for cultural heritage: bridging informational gaps
Status: pending
This study reimagines ESIAs as participatory tools to protect environmental flows and build climate resilience in Ghana’s Volta Basin through science, storytelling, and digital innovation.
Across Ghana, communities are grappling with the consequences of disrupted environmental flows, particularly water scarcity, declining fisheries, and sediment-laden rivers that no longer support agriculture or safe drinking water. While environmental scientists have produced extensive research and national guidelines mandate Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for major projects, a persistent disconnect between science, policy, and public understanding continue to undermine their effectiveness. Technical complexity, weak enforcement, and limited regulatory literacy further constrain ESIAs as tools for prevention, education, and accountability.
This study seeks to close these gaps by reframing EIAs as dynamic, participatory tools for protecting environmental flows in Ghana’s Volta Basin, where illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) has severely degraded water resources. It pursues three objectives: (1) to assess the limitations of current EIA practices in capturing hydrological changes, sedimentation, and biodiversity loss; (2) to enhance environmental science and policy literacy by translating complex findings into culturally resonant formats drawing on Ghana’s oral traditions of storytelling, myths, and riddles; and (3) to integrate digital innovations satellite imagery, drone monitoring, GIS dashboards, and mobile reporting tools into EIA processes to enable real-time monitoring, transparency, and community oversight.
By combining hydrological science with cultural communication and digital platforms, this study reimagines ESIAs as a living system.
Environmental Safeguards Specialist, Climate Advocate, Champion of Sustainable Resource Management and Inclusive Environmental Governance
Coauthor 1: Emmanuel Bamfo Asirifi