Ghana’s growing pool of youth-led climate innovations could deliver greater environmental and economic impact if innovators receive improved access to funding, equipment and markets, participants at the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Ghana 2026 have said.
The innovators, who are developing solutions from locally available materials, said financial and market constraints remained major obstacles to moving their ideas beyond small-scale production.
Their innovations include solar-powered charging stations made from electronic waste, organic fertilisers produced from eggshells and seaweed, reusable plastic bags, and fashion products created from discarded clothing and polythene.
Hilda Dorcoo, an innovator in the waste and circular economy, said large quantities of second-hand clothing discarded at markets and dumpsites, together with polythene wrappers left after market activities, were contributing significantly to environmental pollution.
She said her response had been to transform discarded fabrics, sheets and curtains into dresses, streetwear, tote bags and other usable products, while polythene waste was converted into accessories.
However, she identified limited market access and inadequate funding to acquire production machinery as major barriers to expanding the initiative.
Comfort Senya, a circular economy operator in the Volta Region, similarly noted that unsold clothing was often abandoned in markets and dumpsites, eventually finding its way into gutters and waterways.
She said discarded polythene wrappers further worsened pollution in communities, adding that her work seeks to promote circularity while encouraging young people to participate in sustainable fashion.
Senya also called for support to secure sewing machines, expand production and access wider markets for environmentally friendly products.
The concerns were raised during an online conference organised by Starlight Foundation and Nalike Africa in collaboration with UNDP Ghana, which provided a platform for young innovators to showcase practical responses to Ghana’s environmental challenges.
The conference also featured youth innovations in solar technology, sustainable agriculture, reusable products and upcycled fashion, demonstrating how locally sourced materials could be turned into climate solutions.
As part of its support for LCOY Ghana 2026, UNDP Ghana provided US$3,000 in awards to recognise outstanding youth-led innovations with potential to contribute to climate action and sustainable development.
Dr Abdul-Razak Saeed, Head of the Environment and Climate Cluster at UNDP Ghana, said greater investment in youth-led climate solutions was necessary to enable young innovators to turn ideas into practical interventions.
He said young people needed an enabling environment to innovate, lead and build partnerships that could contribute to Ghana’s climate ambitions.
“As we look ahead to COP31 and beyond, we must continue to create enabling environments for young people to innovate, lead, and influence climate action. We must invest in their ideas, support their initiatives, and empower them to become architects of a greener, more resilient, and more equitable future,” he said.
Madam Avis Adjacodjoe, Co-founder of Reusable Bags Ghana, stressed the importance of designing climate solutions around the realities of ordinary Ghanaians.
She cautioned that initiatives based heavily on access to smartphones, reliable internet and high-end markets could leave sections of society behind if young people and grassroots communities were not actively involved.
She said young people should be regarded as co-designers rather than merely beneficiaries of climate interventions, arguing that sustainable climate resilience must be built from the community level.
Adjacodjoe urged stakeholders to promote practical climate actions in schools, workplaces and homes while developing inclusive solutions that respond to the needs of market women, students and low-income earners and allow local economies to benefit from the green transition.
