Investigating Coastal Management Strategies and Coastal Infrastructure in Ghana

Abstract

Coastal management has emerged as one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century to adapt to sea-level rise and associated hazards like coastal flooding and coastal erosion. To respond to coastal erosion, different coastal management strategies and coastal infrastructure typologies can be applied to safeguard communities and ecosystems against coastal hazards. The main aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of coastal management strategies and coastal infrastructure in Ghana. Precisely, the study (1) mapped and assessed coastal protection infrastructure along the coast of Ghana using geographic information systems, remote sensing, and in-situ observation; (2) estimated the integrated coastal vulnerability index for the coast of Ghana towards future coastal infrastructural developments; (3) investigated short-term shoreline response to groyne fields and associated environmental impacts at three groyne fields using satellite imagery and remote sensing; and (4) employed in-depth interviews to investigate the socioeconomic impacts of grey infrastructure along the coast of Ghana. Results indicated that: (1) coastal management in Ghana is largely static and reactive using hold-the-line strategies and grey infrastructure for coastal protection; (2) Approximately 20% of the coast was protected using hardengineered infrastructure between 2000 and 2022; (3) at least 72% of the coast has moderate to very high coastal vulnerability to coastal hazards; (4) shoreline responses to groynes indicate increasing erosion, rapid changes to beach plan form, and terminal groyne effects – severe down-drift shoreline retreat rates; (5) the socioeconomic pitfalls identified include erosion migration, beach access restriction, impacts on artisanal fishing methods, fish landing dynamics, and livelihoods. The outcomes of this study have significant implications for coastal planning, policy-making, and sustainable development of coastal areas in Ghana. In conclusion, the development of shoreline management plans to support adaptive (dynamic) coastal management strategies and hybrid infrastructure is recommended to mitigate reactive, ad hoc implementation of grey infrastructure along the coast of Ghana.