In Central America, one of the major changes in land use is the conversion of natural vegetation to crops (mainly to grazing lands). The practice of slash and burn agriculture has led to a decline in soil quality through nutrients depletion, organic matter reduction and soil erosion. Land degradation problems and desertification have increased with climate variability. Climate change represents an additional threat that could affect a country"s ability to meet urgent demands for rural development--food security included.

Produced for the Development and Mitigation Forum in Cape Town, January 2014, this paper presents an economic assessment of energy poverty and climate change mitigation in Ghana. The paper summarises the current state of energy use, related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy poverty, and mitigation, and estimates their likely trends and subsequent future impacts.