The dynamics of change towards sustainability in developing countries: Evidence from Ghana's Waste-to-Energy transition

Abstract

• The acceleration of sustainability transitions and upscaling of niche-innovations in developing countries require an adaptation of transition frameworks. • We conduct a literature review analysis of transition frameworks applications to developing countries and we complement it with a case study of Ghana's Waste-to-Energy transition. • Our findings suggest the need to expand and adjust the analytical constructs to account for a wider range of influential factors in these contexts. • The literature would benefit from more in-depth case studies on sustainability transitions in developing countries. This paper examines the role of transition factors in the emergence, upscaling, and diffusion of niche innovations in developing countries and juxtaposes them with the case study of a Waste-to-Energy socio-technical niche in the ongoing green transition of Ghana's waste management and energy systems. A systematic literature review of the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) and the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) transition frameworks applications to developing countries identifies twenty-four categories of influential factors and produces four main inferences: (i) niche innovations and experiments that are often non-technological and are driven by urgent local needs, remain understudied; (ii) landscape factors strongly shape the selection, development, and spread of innovations; (iii) regimes are multimodal, with co-existing, interconnected technologies, rules, structures, and roles, causing tensions; and (iv) innovation systems rely heavily on external sources, and they lack cohesive selection, monitoring, and assessment mechanisms. This review is followed by the case study constructed using academic literature, government and programme documents as well as interviews with key stakeholders. The inferences of the literature review are validated and additionally the role of the twenty-four categories of transition factors is examined. Key landscape, regime and innovation system function factors are found to play both a positive and negative role in the green transition. Landscape factors are the strongest drivers, but the most challenging barriers can be from other levels too. A cooperative governance model at local and regional levels, with maximal access to knowledge for redesigning of technologies to local conditions and continuous communication with key stakeholders and communities is essential for successful transition.

Topics & Concepts