UG-CCReS Team Engages Stakeholders to Shape Climate Resilience Research Priorities
Researchers and project team members of the University of Ghana Collaborative on Climate Resilience and Sustainability (UG-CCReS) have held a stakeholder consultative workshop to refine thematic research areas and guide the implementation of the UG-CCReS project.
The event brought together key players from government, academia, non-governmental organisations and the private sector to contribute their expertise toward setting national and regional climate research priorities.
The interactive workshop, held at the Mensvic Grand Hotel in Accra, was moderated by Prof. Daniel Nukpezah, a Research Fellow and Associate Professor at the Institute of Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS). Prof. Nukpezah, who doubles as a member of the UG-CCReS project team, provided an overview of the workshop’s goals and led participants through the day’s activities.
Delivering remarks at the event, Prof. Gordon Awandare, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Programme Director of UG-CCReS, expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for honouring the invitation. He emphasised that the University aims to ensure that research conducted under the project directly addresses the most pressing needs of Ghana and the sub-region.
He further noted that the UG-CCReS initiative aligns with key pillars of the University’s Strategic Plan, especially those relating to sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
Prof. Samuel N.A. Codjoe, Provost of the College of Education and Implementing Coordinator for the Climate Research Labs under UG-CCReS, presented the research framework to guide the project. The core thematic areas identified, according to him, were Climate Science, Natural and Built Environment, Population Health Resilience, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Multi-Level Governance.
He highlighted that all research efforts under the project, including those led by faculty, students, post-doctoral researchers and collaborators, are expected to align with this framework. He added that Gender Equality and Social Inclusion would be integrated across all research activities.
Participants were divided into working groups based on the five thematic research areas to discuss key issues, methodologies and priorities within each area. The deliberations were designed to be participatory and inclusive, creating space for stakeholders to offer insights that could inform both academic inquiry and practical interventions.
Key areas of focus that emerged from the group discussions included carbon credit and trading, greenhouse gas inventory, soil health and the role of data science in climate resilience. Participants also called for greater collaboration with institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ghana Meteorological Agency and sister universities. To involve young people, suggestions were made to develop mentorship structures and organise outreach programmes to increase youth engagement in climate research.
Other proposed research areas included climate-resilient agriculture and food systems, the application of artificial intelligence to monitor water resources and the development of sustainable energy systems.
The University of Ghana Collaborative on Climate Resilience and Sustainability (UG-CCReS) is a multi-institutional initiative to advance climate resilience and sustainability in higher education. It supports human capital development to drive green economies and climate solutions across Africa.
The University of Ghana is one of four core partners in the UG-CCReS initiative, alongside the University of Cambridge, Makerere University and the University of Cape Town. The eight-year project, spearheaded at the University of Ghana by Prof. Gordon Awandare, is designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship by linking science, industry and communities to accelerate climate-smart solutions; generate high-quality research through Climate Resilience Research Labs and climate learning centres; drive change through inclusive networks, policy engagement and institutional learning, and build the next generation of African climate researchers and scientists through capacity-building and training.
Through collaborative research, stakeholder engagement and inclusive capacity development, the UG-CCReS project seeks to contribute meaningfully to climate resilience efforts across the continent.