Climate change poses significant challenges globally, impacting ecosystems, economies, and communities. Africa, one of the smallest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, suffers the most from the impacts of climate events due to various climate vulnerabilities.
The effects of climate change are not equal, as they disproportionately impact the poorest and most marginalised communities. Climate vulnerability in any form negatively affects human health through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, food insecurity, and pressure on mental health.
Human activities contribute largely to climate events, vulnerabilities, and exposures. Human waste forms a significant portion of climate hazards in the form of plastic, organic, glass, metal, and electronic waste. Plastic waste has been identified as a significant contributor to environmental hazards.
Plastic waste poses a huge environmental challenge in Ghana. The country’s inability to manage plastic waste has degenerated into a significant vulnerability issue that requires collaborative and immediate action.
The current waste management system accounts for approximately 10% of the country’s daily waste generation. Plastic waste makes up a large proportion of urban waste, and this situation has the potential to trigger a pandemic and other health-related conditions for the general public.
Although the government and its allied agencies, such as the EPA and development partners, have all significantly contributed to managing waste in this country, it is clear that our efforts are not paying off; we are simply not winning as a country. Industry players must consider new ways of addressing the waste menace.
The Executive Director of Knowledge for Climate Action, Nana Arko-Cole, addressed the issue in an interview, said that Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) is the way to go. “The SBCC theory should guide waste management interventions in Ghana to ensure effective waste management practices.”
SBCC is a communication strategy that focuses on influencing individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours for positive action. Ghana can leverage this theory to manage waste generation, segregation, and disposal, as well as the entire waste management process.
The theory thrives on effective yet targeted forms of communication to raise awareness and develop knowledge for effective behavioural changes. SBCC campaigns can positively change individuals, families, communities, and institutions’ knowledge levels about the importance of proper waste management practices, focusing on the fundamental sustainable waste practices (reuse, reduce, and recycle).
This can be achieved by raising awareness and knowledge at various levels of society, thereby influencing the adoption of more responsible waste disposal behaviour.
Again, SBCC promotes attitude changes in individuals, families, communities, and institutions. This requires waste management initiatives to consider the theory of change by testing the shift in attitudes and perceptions towards waste management and emphasising the benefits of sustainable practices such as reuse, reduction, and recycling.
By highlighting the value of preserving the environment, conserving resources, and protecting public health, SBCC can foster a sense of responsibility and stewardship among individuals, families, and communities.
Also, SBCC strategies facilitate behaviour changes by employing various appropriate communication channels and messages to encourage specific actionable behaviours related to waste management, such as segregating waste at the source, reducing waste generation, and properly disposing of hazardous waste materials.

Programming activities must provide practical tips and offer incentives that positively influence social norms. In short, SBCC has the potential to trigger a positive waste adoption process and maintain actionable waste management behaviour.
Nana Arko-Cole further observed that an effective SBCC empowers communities to take ownership of their waste management practices by involving them in the design and implementation of communication campaigns that leverage community leadership, influencers, and organised groups. SBCCs influence collective action and foster a sense of ownership and pride in local waste management intervention programmes.
Waste creates a public menace, necessitating the nurturing and building of reliable partnerships and coalitions at all economic levels. SBCC efforts benefit effectively from collaboration and partnerships amongst stakeholders such as the government of Ghana and its allied agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, and the media, by leveraging the strengths and resources of different actors in the waste management chain. SBCC campaigns can reach a wider audience and amplify messages to facilitate sustainable behaviour change.
Socio-cultural barriers exist in our communities; usually, they restrain a lot of our genuine efforts to address waste challenges.
Target populations’ socio-cultural contexts must shape SBCC strategies, taking into account the community’s waste management beliefs, values, and practices. By incorporating culturally appropriate messaging, language, and visuals, SBCC can reverberate with diverse audiences and increase the effectiveness of communication efforts.
Finally, we must monitor and evaluate our management interventions to track the shift in behaviour and ensure the progress we set out to achieve.
SBCC programmes incorporate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of waste interventions. We must utilise data to track progress in knowledge, attitudes, behaviour, and observable practices. Waste interventions must be able to identify successes and contributions made in their efforts, challenges observed, and key learning points for improvement and developing further interventions. Such learning must be shared between industry players and the general public.
This will open up opportunities for the country’s waste management strategies to be continuously refined and adapted.
All in all, leveraging SBCC as a catalyst for effective waste management in Ghana requires a multidimensional approach that combines education, advocacy, community engagement, and partnership building, especially with the private sector.
By empowering individuals, families, communities, and institutions to embrace sustainable waste management practices, SBCC can contribute to environmental sustainability, public health, and socio-economic development in Ghana”.
Credit: Citinewsroom.com/ Samuel Ohene Nyantakyi