The Climate Innovation Center in Ghana, with support from the World Bank and other international organizations, has shown commitment to the green growth agenda, and the fight against climate change.

Recent research from the World Bank and others increasingly shows that strong economic growth can be combined with sustainable management of natural resources, in order to promote shared prosperity and reduce poverty.

The activities of the center are crucial to fighting against climate change, hence, it must be incorporated into the national agenda to create the awareness.

Ghana now has an opportunity to use technology and innovation to steer future economic gains towards a greener growth. It is clear that new technologies and innovation will be essential to reduce the long-term cost of climate change and support competitiveness in Ghana.

The worldwide attention to climate change and advances in clean technology offer an opportunity to attract significant investments in clean technology and to build up the capacity of local businesses to participate in these high value sectors.

By seeking to capitalize on these advances, Ghana can strengthen its resilience to climate change, while also building its competitiveness in clean technology markets and industries.

The Climate Innovation Center (CIC) over the years has provided support for domestic climate technology industries by addressing locally relevant barriers to climate technology transfer, development and deployment by the private sector development.

In addition to incubating promising start-ups, the CIC has provided access to finance, access to product testing facilities, market information, policy advocacy and technical assistance.

Some promising areas which potentially benefit from the CIC include climate smart agriculture, off-grid renewable energy, waste water treatment technology, climate-resistant infrastructure and energy-efficient manufacturing.

As part of the benefits, the Ghana CIC has linked the country to a growing global network of these centers in a number of countries including Ethiopia, India, Kenya, South Africa, the Caribbean and Vietnam.

One of the strengths of the centers is the application of the best technologies from around the world, made relevant and available to the local context.

It is important that the CIC is tailored to meet the needs of local industry, investors, technology and skills, and strengthen the capacity of these groups.

For more information: http://www.ghanacic.org/

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