Climate Adaptation in the Gulf of Guinea: Building Preferred Futures

This is the final workshop in a three-year project conducted by Harvard University, Felix Houphouet-Boigny University, the University of Ghana, and the University of Lagos, across three intersecting groups of physical scientists, designers (landscape architects, urban planners, and photographers), and social scientists. The study focused on the impacts of the sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and flooding on settlements and livelihoods.

8:30 am – 9:00 am.
Registration and Breakfast

9:00 am – 9:15 am
Welcome Remarks

9:15 am – 10:45 am
Panel 1: Physical Science: Our Changing Environment (Chair: John Kusimi)
John Kusimi and Michael Kwame-Biney (University of Ghana)
“Multi-hazard Coastal Risk in Ghana: A Building-based Damage Cost Assessment of Flooding and Erosion.”
Oluwasegun Babatunde Esan (University of Lagos)
“Designing with Water: Adaptive Coastal Landscapes of the Gulf of Guinea.”
Paul Nadi Dangui (UFHB, Abidjan)
“Monitoring Sedimentary Dynamics of the Ivory Coast Coastline in the Context of Climate Change.”
Rebecca Berkoh-Oforiwaa (University of Ghana/EPA)
“Addressing Sea Level Data Gaps in Africa: Validation of Century-Scale Reconstructions (1900-2021).”

10:45 am – 11:00 am
Coffee Break

11:00 am – 1: 00 pm
Panel 2: Design: Landscape Architecture and Climate Adaptation (Chair: Gareth Doherty)
Olatunji Adejumo (University of Lagos)
“Re-Imagined Coastal Lagos Liquid Urbanism: Window of Citizen Science.”
Mokolade Johnson (University of Lagos)
“Coastal Architecture Adaptation in the Era of Climate Change Anomalies in the Gulf of Guinea.”
Gareth Doherty and Supriya Ambwani (Harvard University)
“Booxhibition: An Adaptable Exhibition.”
Presentation will be followed by a viewing of the booxhibition in adjacent library.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LUNCH

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Panel 3: Future of Artisanal Fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea (Chair: Emmanuel Akyeampong)
Robert Paarlberg (Harvard University)
“The Future of Artisanal Fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea.”
Tite Beke (UFHB, Abidjan) and Kadio Angaman (Nangui Abrogua University, Abidjan)
“Towards Sustainable Fisheries” Côte d’Ivoire’s Policy Response to Declining Fish Stocks.”
Emmanuel Akyeampong (Harvard University)
“Preserving the Commons: Coastal Communities and the Ethics of Conservation.”

3:15 pm – 4:45 pm.
Panel 4: Climate Change and Mental and Emotional Health (Chair: Daniel Agbiboa)
Daniel Agbiboa (Harvard University)
“Climate Urbanism as Psychic Violence: Displacement, Displaceability, and Distress in Lagos.”
Tinuola Odugbemi (University of Lagos)
“Co-Creating Preferred Climate Futures to Address Mental Health Impacts of Climate Stress in Lagos Coastal Communities.”
Samuel Adjorlolo (University of Ghana)
“Look beyond the fish and leave no-one behind: Agenda for Coastal Mental Health Intervention Programming in West Africa.”
Emmanuel Akyeampong and Jennifer Ashilevi (Harvard University)
“Coastal Erosion in the Gulf of Guinea: The Mental Health Burden of Cyclical Environmental Disasters.”

4:45 pm – 6:15 pm
Panel 5: Climate Adaptation and the Blue Economy (Chair: Robert Paarlberg)
Kwasi Appeaning Addo (University of Ghana)
“From Ocean Potential to Blue Gold: Scaling up Ghana’s Blue Economy for Job Creation, Innovation and Growth.”
Tite Beke (UFHB, Abidjan) and Kadio Angaman (Dangui Abrogua University, Abidjan)
“Economic Analysis of Coastal Protection: Case of Port-Bouët and Azuretti in Côte d’Ivoire.”
Olatunji Adejumo (University of Lagos)
“Blue Economy in Coastal Lagos Climate Adaptation Local Financing Framework.”
Robert Paarlberg (Harvard University)
“Can a Blue Economy Protect an Endangered Coast?”

DINNER. 6:30 pm.