Abstract
Both the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and the PA (Paris Agreement) mention transition to low-carbon energy systems as a critical policy instrument to achieving universal access to modern energy, promote sustainable economic growth and development, and a drastic reduction in heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions, especially, carbon dioxide. The Government of Ghana has adopted and streamlined the above international development agenda and environmental treaties into the country’s short-medium-long terms energy policy options, including the Ghana Renewable Act 2011 (Act 832), which provide the definition and legal context of renewable energy development, and Ghana Renewable Energy Master Plan in 2019 which provides the policy frameworks of renewable resources explorations and development. The aim of this paper is to subject Ghana’s electric energy transition to the Value-Action-Gap theoretical analysis. Since the paper is concerned with public policy, policy-intention-action-gap is the preferred framework, instead of the Value-Action-Gap, largely applied in micro-levels pro-environmental behaviour studies. The paper adopted a desktop research methodology based on literature review, statistical and graphical analysis. The preliminary results show that more than 60% of the electric power generation is by thermal plants, representing a structural transformation from the hydropower hitherto. The preliminary results offer practical understanding of the problem of policy-action-gap in the context of the electric power transition and implications for energy-climate change actions. Findings in the study will be useful to policy-makers and stakeholders to identify challenges and accelerating progress towards achieving the energy goal of the SDGs, the SDG 7, and interrelated goals.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Technical, Political, and Social Responses
KEYWORDS
Ghana, Electric Energy Transition, Policy-Intention-Action-Gap, Sustainability, Paris Agreement, Desktop Research
