ID: 13
Presenting Author: Micheal Fosu
Status: pending
Ghana’s road expansion drives growth but threatens ecosystems. This study reveals gaps and proposes policy, design and enforcement strategies for climate-smart, biodiversity-conscious roads
Road infrastructure underpins Ghana’s economic growth, carrying over 95% of transport. Yet, rapid expansion intensifies environmental challenges, including emissions, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity loss. While global discourse promotes climate-resilient, biodiversity-conscious roads, integration in Ghana remains limited. This study assessed knowledge and perceptions of road professionals (designers, contractors, and managers) on links between construction, climate change, and biodiversity. A quantitative survey distributed 267 questionnaires, yielding 203 valid responses analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. Findings show respondents had good awareness of environmental impacts but moderate integration of climate and biodiversity into projects. Common practices included EIAs and slope stability checks, but gaps persist, no national climate policy for roads, weak enforcement and limited use of sustainable materials. Barriers identified were inadequate expertise, legal and institutional weaknesses, poor supervision, and cost concerns. Recommendations include resilient designs for floods, temperature shifts, and slope stability; embedding contractual incentives and penalties; and strengthening capacity through training and monitoring. The study concludes that although awareness is rising, robust frameworks, localized policy, and stronger enforcement are essential. Mandating sustainability in contracts and introducing monitoring tools will be critical for advancing climate-resilient, biodiversity-conscious road infrastructure in Ghana.
Micheal Fosu, an Environmentalist and Safety Expert currently working at Ghana Highway Authority, specializes in Environmental management, health & safety, social safeguards & sustainability
Coauthor 1: Alexander Kofi Anning