Public universities in Ghana must deliberately integrate carbon-neutral initiatives into their physical development plans to protect vegetative cover and support climate action, according to a new doctoral study.
The research calls on university management to ensure that campus expansion goes hand in hand with sustainable land-use planning to prevent further depletion of green spaces critical for carbon management.
The recommendation comes from Raphael Normesi, a final-year PhD student in the Department of Planning at The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, who is studying land cover changes and their implications for carbon management, using Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) as case studies.
Normesi explained that although universities are globally recognised as key actors in the fight against climate change, there is debate in existing literature about how well they are fulfilling this responsibility, particularly in Ghana. He noted that universities are expected to lead by example in environmental protection and sustainability.
According to the study, public universities are traditionally located in areas with rich vegetative cover. However, rapid growth in student populations, coupled with increases in teaching and non-teaching staff, has driven continuous campus expansion through the construction of lecture halls, hostels, offices, and roads.
This expansion has resulted in extensive clearing of vegetation, undermining the natural carbon sinks within university campuses and weakening their role in carbon management. The loss of green cover has serious implications for climate mitigation efforts.
Beyond environmental concerns, the study highlights potential safety risks. The disruption of natural ecosystems through vegetation clearance has displaced wildlife, increasing the likelihood of students sharing spaces with potentially dangerous reptiles and other animals if current trends persist.
Normesi further observed that universities are currently doing little in terms of structured carbon-neutral initiatives, leading to continued green depletion. He argues that without deliberate intervention, public universities risk contradicting their role as champions of climate action.
The study therefore urges university authorities to adopt sustainable development frameworks that prioritise green infrastructure, preserve vegetative cover, and embed carbon-neutral strategies into campus planning to safeguard both the environment and campus communities.