Title: Political parties' manifesto as an anchor for prioritising environmental and climate change issues in Ghana: rhetorics and actions

Authors: David Nawiene Chutab; Justice Issah Musah Surugu; Justice Nyigmah Bawole; James Kwame Mensah

Addresses: Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 78, Accra, Ghana ' Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 78, Accra, Ghana ' Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 78, Accra, Ghana ' Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 78, Accra, Ghana

Abstract: Ghana's decision to uphold participatory democracy over the last two decades has led to the emergence of written public declarations of political parties' policies and intentions on a myriad of issues affecting the electorate and the country. To what extent do these declarations serve as an anchor for prioritising the environment and climate change issues which occupies an important position in global development discourse? This paper attempts to answer the question through the interpretive research paradigm. The analysis focused on manifestos of the two major political parties in Ghana. We argued that climate change has implication for national development and therefore political parties cannot outdoor its manifestos that seeks the mandate of the people without prioritising them - rationalist perspective. Our review identified that environmental and climate change issues were highlighted in the various manifestoes albeit but unsure of the extent to which these have actually been implemented following an electoral victory.

Keywords: political parties manifestos; environmental management; climate change; National Democratic Congress; NDC; New Patriotic Party; NPP.

DOI: 10.1504/IER.2022.122997

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2022 Vol.22 No.1, pp.1 - 17

Published online: 19 May 2022 *