What do you know …about everyday green finance?

When the mangroves in Atsu’s community near the Volta estuary began disappearing, no one paid attention at first. The trees had protected the shoreline for generations, but slowly, erosion crept in, fish became scarce, and the women who smoked and sold fish struggled to earn a living. Atsu had moved back home after losing a job in Accra, hoping to start over; but even the river he grew up with was no longer the same.

Everything changed when a mangrove restoration project arrived in the community. At first, people thought it was just another environmental activity with no lasting benefit. But this project was different. It was funded through climate finance, with the goal of restoring ecosystems and improving local incomes.

Atsu joined the project reluctantly, planting mangrove seedlings with his mother and other residents. For every day of work, they were paid through funds linked to carbon credits; money earned because restored mangroves absorb and store carbon. As the trees grew, fish stocks rebounded, oyster harvesting returned, and a cooperative of women restarted their fish-processing businesses with more reliable income.

What Atsu didn’t realise was that he was already part of green finance; climate money flowing directly to benefit ordinary people. And this was only the beginning of his journey.

Months later, with the money he saved, Atsu installed a small solar panel on their home using a solar loan from a local bank. Not only did it cut electricity costs, but it allowed him to power a refrigerator for cold drinks and start a small evening provisions business. He suddenly understood the value of reliable, clean energy.

Then came recycling. Through training supported by the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, Atsu learned how sorted plastic waste could be sold to local recyclers. He started collecting plastic from nearby communities and selling it weekly; a small but steady income stream. Waste had literally become money.

His final step into the green economy came through mobility. A delivery rider in the community introduced Atsu to Kofa’s electric motorbikes with battery-swap stations. After calculating how much he spent on fuel, he switched. No petrol, no engine heat, and almost no maintenance. His delivery side-business became far more profitable.

Atsu never planned to be part of Ghana’s “green” future. He only wanted to survive. But through mangrove restoration, solar loans, recycling entrepreneurship, and electric transport, green finance quietly transformed his life.

So, what is everyday Green Finance?

When you hear “green finance,” you might think it’s only about governments, global conferences, or billion-dollar climate funds. But in reality, green finance affects our daily choices. It is simply money used in ways that protect the environment and support climate-friendly activities, while improving livelihoods and reducing costs.

Let’s bring this home. Here are four practical ways Ghanaians are already tapping into green finance:

1. Solar Power at Home or in Shops

Electricity costs are high, and power outages affect businesses and families alike. With solar loans and renewable energy financing, you can install panels that reduce bills and give you reliable power.

Example in Ghana: Ghanaian banks in recent times have introduced solar loan packages that make it easier for SMEs and households to install solar. Some churches and schools are also switching to solar to cut costs.

Takeaway: For an SME, this means lower bills and more reliable operations. For households, it’s savings in the long-term and energy independence.

2. Waste & Recycling Businesses

Plastic waste is one of Ghana’s biggest problems. But what if waste could actually make money? Across the country, entrepreneurs are turning plastic bottles into pavement blocks, bags, and even school furniture.

Example in Ghana: The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) has supported startups like Nelplast, which recycles plastic into pavement blocks and roofing tiles. Recently, the GrEEn Business Competition created 104 jobs, generated over GH?4.35 million in revenue, and attracted nearly GH?3 million in investments for waste and green enterprises.

Takeaway: If you’re an entrepreneur, there is money to be made in solving environmental problems; and green finance is the bridge.

3. Green Transport Choices

Transport is one of the biggest sources of emissions in Ghana, but also an area with exciting innovation. Electric bikes, buses, and battery-swapping stations are starting to appear, especially in Accra.

Example in Ghana: Local startups like Kofa and Wahu Mobility are leading the way with electric motorbikes and battery-swap stations, giving riders cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable transport.

Takeaway: For commuters, this could soon mean cheaper fares and less reliance on fuel. For entrepreneurs, it’s a chance to join a new industry with growth potential.

4. Community Green Projects

Sometimes, the most powerful use of green finance is when communities come together.

Example in Ghana: In the Keta Lagoon area, the ReDAW Project restored over 1,500 hectares of mangroves, selling 15,000 carbon credits at nearly US$50 each. They trained 350 locals, especially women, to plant mangroves, creating jobs in aquaculture, beekeeping, and natural fisheries.

In Gomoa West, a community mangrove restoration project engaged over 400 locals, restored coastal ecosystems, and improved fish stocks thereby boosting livelihoods for fishers and women fish processors.

Takeaway: Green finance can flow into entire communities, restoring ecosystems while creating jobs and incomes. It’s not abstract: it’s already happening.

Why this matters for Ghana

Globally, over $1.3 trillion in climate and green finance flows every year. Ghana can benefit significantly, but only if:

• Government creates enabling policies
• Banks design accessible financial products
• Entrepreneurs and communities take initiative
• Individuals take action and get involved in the transformation

Green finance is both an environmental strategy and a path to economic development.

Where to get support

If you are interested in joining the green finance space, there are organizations in Ghana ready to help:

• Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC): Provides funding, mentorship, and incubation. For example, they helped Nuts for Growth, a local SME, to turn cashew waste into bio-briquettes that now supply clean energy to schools and hospitals.
• Development Bank Ghana (DBG): Partners with banks to provide green finance loans. In 2024, DBG-backed facilities supported SMEs in renewable energy and agro-processing to scale operations sustainably.
• UNDP Ghana: Supports community-based projects. Through the Ghana GrEEn Project, UNDP has financed youth-led startups that recycle plastics and create jobs in Ashanti and Western Regions.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Offers technical guidance to businesses, helping them meet environmental standards and access climate funds.
• International Climate Funds: Ghana taps into the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund, which channel resources into renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.

From small steps to a Green Ghana

Green finance is not just for the future; it’s for today. If households, businesses, and communities take advantage of it, Ghana can tackle its energy, waste, and transport problems while creating jobs and wealth.

When a household installs solar, when a startup turns plastic into pavement, when a community restores its mangroves, they’re all part of one bigger picture: a green Ghana built by Ghanaians.

Green finance is not charity: it’s smart economics. It turns environmental action into opportunity, builds local industries, and keeps money circulating within our economy.

If every bank, business, and household play its part, Ghana could lead West Africa in clean energy, sustainable cities, and green jobs. The resources are there but the change begins with awareness and action.

Atsu’s story illustrates one important message:
Ghana’s green transition can be built by ordinary people making everyday choices, supported by green finance.

So, dear reader, what do you know about everyday green finance?

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