In 2025, Ghana passed its Environmental Protection Act 2025 (the Act) to consolidate laws related to environmental protection and formalise duties for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate and protect the environment, including the development of regulations around pesticide control and the management of hazardous waste (including electronic waste), and to act as the coordinating body for the country’s response to climate change.
Chapter 5 of the Act sets out the provisions on climate change, including the EPA’s responsibility for mainstreaming of climate change responses into national, sectoral and district plans, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The EPA is also tasked with supporting the development of adaptation plans to enhance community resilience to the impacts of climate change, and to coordinate with various stakeholders (including relevant Ministries, departments, agencies, and private and civil sector organisations) to establish and operationalise enhanced data systems for planning and implementing adaptation measures. The EPA must also mainstream climate change disaster risk reduction into strategies and develop measures around the loss and damage resulting from climate change impacts.
The Act also establishes the Ghana Carbon Registry, to serve as a database for carbon market project activities both within and outside of the country, and to track the transfer of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes. The Act further establishes the Carbon Market Committee to approve various procedures related to the administration of the carbon market, including the approval of procedures related to determining eligible mitigation projects for the voluntary carbon market.
The Act establishes the Mitigation Fund to provide financial support for the implementation of authorised internationally transferred mitigation outcomes, and to provide funds to invest in additional mitigation measures and activities, and to support the operations of the Carbon Market Committee.
