Assessing Climate Change Communication In Selected Coastal Communities In Ghana

Abstract

Awareness of climate change does not match the level of public engagement needed. The problem emanates from challenges that affect public comprehension of climate change. It is in furtherance to the above premise that the study sought to assess the strategies used in communicating climate change in selected communities along the coast of Ghana. The enquiry adopted the simultaneous triangulation mixed-methods which compensated for the inadequacies in quantitative and qualitative methods while leveraging on their strengths, in four selected coastal communities from the Western and Central Regions of Ghana. The findings revealed that 85% of the targeted respondents were conscious of climate change. Although 65% claimed they understood climate change, the data from the qualitative phase pointed to the contrary. In terms of perceptions, the respondents exhibited ambivalent views about the drivers and repercussions of climate change. The findings, again, uncovered that occupation and community are the most important predictors of climate change communication perception. Public understanding of climate change is impeded due to barriers encountered in the uptake of information which have resulted in limited knowledge on adaptation, little or no adaptation, destruction of properties emanating from unannounced disasters, and poor living conditions. The study also discovered more community-level strategies meant to improve future climate change communication by spurring the necessary engagement needed. The hypothesis found that religion influences one‘s perceptions of climate change causes, by shaping individuals‘ worldview, values and beliefs about the environment's origin and human responsibility. This can lead to varied perceptions, with some attributing climate change to divine will or natural cycles, while others emphasise human activities as primary drivers. Again, awareness of climate change is influenced by the community, marital status, educational level and religion. The study concluded by highlighting that there are gaps in current approaches in climate change messaging, emphasising the significance of localised messaging, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Recommendations made include integrating indigenous knowledge, utilising multimedia platforms, and fostering partnerships for sustained impact.