International Business and Entrepreneurship Faculty Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-22-2026
Abstract
Illegal artisanal and small-scale mining (galamsey) and climate stress jointly degrade ecosystems and livelihoods in Ghana. This paper demonstrates how community-driven governance can realign incentives toward environmental stewardship and inclusive livelihoods. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design—quantitative difference-in-differences followed by qualitative case analysis and Participatory Action Research—we evaluate a structured program combining vocational training, financial literacy, environmental stewardship, and governance alignment. We operationalize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) outcomes via transparent composite indices and triangulate survey, administrative, and focus group evidence. The study identifies conditions under which alternative livelihoods reduce participation in illegal mining, strengthen women’s economic agency, and improve adoption of climate-smart practices. Implications include practical guidance for program design (community delivery, matched incentives, oversight), policy (local climate finance and accountability mechanisms), and research (scalable indicators and rigorous impact evaluation in resource-dependent communities).
Recommended Citation
Elliot, E.A., Opare-Djan, N. and Iddrisu, M., 2026. Community-Driven ESG Governance and Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Ghana: Evidence from Participatory Action Research. Sustainability, 18(6), p.3139. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18063139
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Title
Sustainability
DOI
10.3390/su18063139
Comments
© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.