Institutional Pathways to Transformative Climate Change Adaptation in Ghana

Abstract

This dissertation provides the first cross-sectoral analysis of how adaptation policy in Ghana is put into practice, from the translation and mainstreaming of international adaptation discourses to their concrete application in rural and urban settings. Focusing on the links between adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, it is argued that the implementation of adaptive responses across sectors and scales requires a more holistic understanding of institutional dynamics to tackle the root causes of vulnerability. In doing so, the dissertation introduces the concept of institutional adaptation pathways to systematically integrate progressive social science research on power and discourse into scenario planning and risk assessment practices.