World Bank-supported Climate Innovation Center launched

Media reports reveal that the World Bank Group has announced the launch of a new Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Accra to support Ghana’s green growth strategy. The CIC will be financed through a US$17.2 million grant package recently approved by the World Bank Group, the reports say.

The CIC will support Ghana’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), led by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

The center will help more than 100 local clean technology companies develop and scale innovative solutions to climate change. Furthermore, the center is expected to mitigate 660,000 tons of CO2 and contribute to the production of over 260 million kWh of clean energy, via its support of local clean technology ventures.

The center will be located at the Ashesi University College in Berekuso, and it will support green businesses across all of Ghana’s regions. The grant agreement was signed by Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, and Patrick Awuah, Founder and President of Ashesi University College, where the Institute will be located.

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“The Ghana CIC solidifies the role of the private sector in helping Ghana mitigate and adapt to climate change,” said Henry Kerali. “By enabling entrepreneurs and green innovators to test and scale their business models, homegrown clean technology solutions can help the country build climate resilience, while also creating jobs and fostering economic growth.”

The center is supported by the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands, and will be launched in the second quarter of 2016 - managed by a consortium led by the Ashesi University College with Ernst & Young, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.

According to Innovation Village, the Ghana CIC is part of the World Bank’s Climate Technology Program and its global network of Climate Innovation Centers. Other centers have been established in Kenya, Ethiopia, the Caribbean, South Africa, Morocco, and Vietnam.