The potential role of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in the development of sustainable energy policies, plans and programmes for Ghana

Abstract

Ghana's Vision 2020 and the 1990 energy crises have influenced energy sector policy. plan and programme reforms which in turn have affected development actions. Since these strategic level development decisions have ecological, economic and social ramifications, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been seen as an effective tool for aligning energy sector policies, plans and programmes with sustainable development principles. In formulating a theoretical perspective for the study, the two overarching theories, which framed the research, were ecological rationality and institutions. Flowing from these theories, the concepts of environmentalism, sustainable development, SEA and energy policies. plans and programmes have been discussed within the context of the West, Africa and Ghana. By the application of factor analysis. multiple regression, path analysis, partial regression, reliability models and tests of proportion (chi-square) in a quantitative analysis, the study tested key hypotheses and computed reliability and validity coefficients where appropriate. The study found that although energy sector SEA in Ghana is essential for promoting sustainable energy policies, plans and programmes, it is not a sufficient condition for the implementation of effective sustainable energy policies, plans and programmes without the complement of other sector SEAs and constantly improving overall legal, social, political, economic and institutional frameworks for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and SEA. The study confirms that context and philosophical convergence provide a common denominator for designing sustainable energy policies, plans and programmes across institutions in Ghana. Furthermore. the study observed that although hierarchically structured institutions such as Ghana' s National Development Planning Commission offers the best opportunity for the integration of SEA into sectoraI policies, plans and programmes, less hierarchical institutions such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a plausible and tangible framework for a joint action and implementation on the basis of equal partnership, cooperation and participation. Within the West Africa sub-region, common needs and mutual benefits, for programmes such as the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project, provided a rallying ground for a common environmental. economic and energy policy