Addressing biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution in Ghana

Ghana’s coastal and marine ecosystems underpin national food security, livelihoods, climate resilience, and economic growth, forming a core pillar of the country’s Blue Economy agenda. Lagoons, estuaries, mangroves, sandy beaches, and nearshore waters support high biodiversity value and provide essential ecosystem services, including fish nursery functions, shoreline protection, carbon storage, and cultural and recreational benefits. 

These ecosystems are increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, rapid urbanisation, coastal modification, and climate-related stressors, which together undermine ecological integrity and long-term development outcomes.

This report presents a rapid, biodiversity and ecosystem risk assessment of plastic pollution impacts along selected Ghanaian coastline. Conducted within a limited timeframe, the assessment is designed as an indicator-based, high-level diagnostic rather than a comprehensive ecological inventory.