Nature-based coastal adaptation approaches : spatial modelling and community perception of barriers and opportunities in Ghana

Abstract

1 online resource (vii, 134 pages) : colour illustrations, colous maps, charts (some colour), graphs (some colour)Includes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (pages 106-123).Ghana’s coastal areas face increasing risks from coastal hazards. While conventional engineering approaches (seawalls and groins) have been the primary mitigation strategies, they often prove unsustainable. Adaptation planning efforts have widely failed to account for local community knowledge. As a result, this study explored community perceptions of risk to coastal hazards, assessing opportunities for nature-based coastal adaptation (NbCA) approaches using GIS, participatory mapping, and household surveys across three communities in Accra. The study showed significant differences in perceived risk, with older age groups (60+) expressing higher vulnerability. Awareness of NbCA was uneven, with 72% of respondents in Bortianor reporting familiarity due to existing mangrove restoration, compared to Jamestown (37.5%) and Teshie (10%). Despite this, there was a high expression of support for NbCA. Furthermore, participatory mapping identified community-perceived high-risk areas, which showed spatial consistency with GIS risk models. The findings emphasize the importance of inclusive, context-sensitive, and evidence-based adaptation planning