Barriers to green cities development in developing countries: evidence from Ghana
Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
ISSN: 2046-6099
Article publication date: 22 September 2020
Issue publication date: 22 November 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Of late, cities across the globe are taking pragmatic steps towards addressing environmental, social and economic problems in the debate on sustainable development. Even so, little attention has been paid to studies focused on developing countries. The aim of this study is to examine the barriers to green cities development in developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the barriers to green cities development. In terms of methodological choice, a quantitative research strategy was used to collect data from professionals who have lines of influence on the greening of our cities and sustainable urban development.
Findings
The barriers to green city development identified were lack of awareness of the benefits of a green city, environmental degradation, insufficient policy implementation efforts, excessive generation of solid waste and poor wastewater collection and treatment. It was indicative from the study findings that taking the right sustainable steps in urban development and a paradigm shift towards the pillars of sustainability, Ghanaian cities, especially Kumasi, have a great proclivity of regaining its longstanding status being “Garden City”.
Practical implications
The outcome of this study provides stakeholders in city development an insight into the barriers that inhibit the development of green cities. In practice, this study contributively proposes that the concept of green cities should be incorporated in the education and training of stakeholders to improve the level of awareness.
Originality/value
This paper presents the foremost comprehensive study appraising green city development in Ghana.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a large MSc. research project aimed at developing an apposite framework for green cities development in developing countries. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for funding this research. The authors also appreciatively acknowledge the Department of Construction Technology and Management, KNUST for supporting this research. Special appreciations also go to the editors and reviewers whose constructive and invaluable comments and propositions played a pivotal role in noticeably improving the quality of the work.Conflicts of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests. The funders had no role in the design of the study, in the data collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript and in the decision to publish the results.
Citation
Debrah, C., Owusu-Manu, D.-G., Kissi, E., Oduro-Ofori, E. and Edwards, D.J. (2022), "Barriers to green cities development in developing countries: evidence from Ghana", Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 438-453. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-06-2020-0089
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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