348
G. A. Manful and Y. Opoku-Ankomah
great decline in numbers so are considered to be at high risk (UNEP-GEF Volta
Project 2013).
6 Sustainable Development Issues
In 2013, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa conducted a countrylevel survey on sustainable development priorities in the member states of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These were then aligned
with the Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) that integrate the economic, social and
environmental pillars of sustainable development. This analysis revealed that the
priorities for sustainable development, in order, are: education; health; sustainable
infrastructure development (energy, water, transport); inclusive economic growth,
diversification and transformation; good governance and the rule of law; agriculture
and food security; environment and natural resource management (forest, water and
soils); social protection for the poor and vulnerable; sanitation and urban management; peace and security. Poverty is recognized as an overarching issue, while the
others are considered interrelated (UNECA 2015 and World Bank 2015).
In September 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, otherwise known as the Global Goals to end poverty, fight inequality
and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030, and more commonly called the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in 2000. Countries within the basin have made
good progress toward the MDGs, but the indignity of poverty is the reality for
millions of people within the basin. The SDGs go much further than the MDGs,
addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that
works for all people. The SDGs also set higher goals, seeking to eradicate, and not
just reduce, poverty, as well as embracing higher aspirations to meet obligations
for future generations. The SDGs seeks for no one to be left behind and is considered an agenda for shared prosperity, peace and partnership. It conveys the urgency
of climate action, underscoring the potential for dire consequences of mismanagement of natural resources in the Volta Basin. Moreover, the SDGs emphasize that
poverty is not merely a lack of income but also takes the form of low educational
attainment, poor health and nutrition, exposure to physical insecurity and natural
hazards, and substandard living conditions. Poor people also lack access to improved
water sources, better sanitation facilities and electricity, the shortage of all of which
contribute to poor labor productivity, amplifying the cycle of income poverty (see
Table 1).
The Sustainable Development Goals include a goal on water (SDG6) with ambitious targets for universal access to drinking water and sanitation (targets 6.1 and 6.2,
respectively) by 2030. Achieving sustainable universal access under the influence of
climate change will be a defining challenge for the SDGs. SDG6 also includes targets
to improve water quality (6.3), improve water-use efficiency (6.4), implement integrated water resources management (IWRM) (6.5), and restore water ecosystems
G. A. Manful and Y. Opoku-Ankomah
great decline in numbers so are considered to be at high risk (UNEP-GEF Volta
Project 2013).
6 Sustainable Development Issues
In 2013, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa conducted a countrylevel survey on sustainable development priorities in the member states of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These were then aligned
with the Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) that integrate the economic, social and
environmental pillars of sustainable development. This analysis revealed that the
priorities for sustainable development, in order, are: education; health; sustainable
infrastructure development (energy, water, transport); inclusive economic growth,
diversification and transformation; good governance and the rule of law; agriculture
and food security; environment and natural resource management (forest, water and
soils); social protection for the poor and vulnerable; sanitation and urban management; peace and security. Poverty is recognized as an overarching issue, while the
others are considered interrelated (UNECA 2015 and World Bank 2015).
In September 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, otherwise known as the Global Goals to end poverty, fight inequality
and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030, and more commonly called the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in 2000. Countries within the basin have made
good progress toward the MDGs, but the indignity of poverty is the reality for
millions of people within the basin. The SDGs go much further than the MDGs,
addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that
works for all people. The SDGs also set higher goals, seeking to eradicate, and not
just reduce, poverty, as well as embracing higher aspirations to meet obligations
for future generations. The SDGs seeks for no one to be left behind and is considered an agenda for shared prosperity, peace and partnership. It conveys the urgency
of climate action, underscoring the potential for dire consequences of mismanagement of natural resources in the Volta Basin. Moreover, the SDGs emphasize that
poverty is not merely a lack of income but also takes the form of low educational
attainment, poor health and nutrition, exposure to physical insecurity and natural
hazards, and substandard living conditions. Poor people also lack access to improved
water sources, better sanitation facilities and electricity, the shortage of all of which
contribute to poor labor productivity, amplifying the cycle of income poverty (see
Table 1).
The Sustainable Development Goals include a goal on water (SDG6) with ambitious targets for universal access to drinking water and sanitation (targets 6.1 and 6.2,
respectively) by 2030. Achieving sustainable universal access under the influence of
climate change will be a defining challenge for the SDGs. SDG6 also includes targets
to improve water quality (6.3), improve water-use efficiency (6.4), implement integrated water resources management (IWRM) (6.5), and restore water ecosystems