Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation

Abstract Concerns over the environment have intensified due to the worsening harm caused by climate change and ecological disasters. This has led to the implementation of radical strategies like ISO 14001 and green governance, which address the causes of pollution. This study uses panel data from 20...

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Main Authors: Miss Clare Teroviel Tergu, Isaac Sam Hayford, Jin Zhang, Jinkai Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-07-01
Series:Discover Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01468-3
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author Miss Clare Teroviel Tergu
Isaac Sam Hayford
Jin Zhang
Jinkai Li
author_facet Miss Clare Teroviel Tergu
Isaac Sam Hayford
Jin Zhang
Jinkai Li
author_sort Miss Clare Teroviel Tergu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Concerns over the environment have intensified due to the worsening harm caused by climate change and ecological disasters. This has led to the implementation of radical strategies like ISO 14001 and green governance, which address the causes of pollution. This study uses panel data from 2013 to 2022 to examine the impact of ISO 14001 and green governance on CO2 emissions in Ghana amidst structural change and technological innovation while factoring in other control variables such as renewable energy, ICT and economic growth. The study utilizes the FGLS and MMQR methodologies to ensure adequate robustness checks of the results. The results assert the mitigation effects of ISO14001 and green governance on carbon emissions and therefore should be incorporated in Ghana’s structural change, renewable energy and economic growth structures. This research discovers that the green innovation pathway (technological innovation and ICT) in Ghana is more arduous since these factors exhibited either minimal or diminished association in mitigating carbon emissions. The study concludes with pragmatic recommendations for policymakers. Government may provide financial incentives, such as tax breaks, low-interest loans, to enterprises that achieve ISO 14001 certification. Sector-specific regulations should be harmonised to facilitate the development of specialised regulations for specific industries that promote cleaner production practices in accordance with ISO 14001 principles. In addition to the central government’s innovation pathway development criteria, local governments and business entities must establish supplementary technological innovation and ICT frameworks.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2662-9984
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-7d951420bb734bc5977963854d8a9e692025-08-20T03:37:22ZengSpringerDiscover Sustainability2662-99842025-07-016112010.1007/s43621-025-01468-3Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovationMiss Clare Teroviel Tergu0Isaac Sam Hayford1Jin Zhang2Jinkai Li3Department of Management Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Management Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou UniversityCenter for Energy, Environment and Economy Research, Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Management Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou UniversityAbstract Concerns over the environment have intensified due to the worsening harm caused by climate change and ecological disasters. This has led to the implementation of radical strategies like ISO 14001 and green governance, which address the causes of pollution. This study uses panel data from 2013 to 2022 to examine the impact of ISO 14001 and green governance on CO2 emissions in Ghana amidst structural change and technological innovation while factoring in other control variables such as renewable energy, ICT and economic growth. The study utilizes the FGLS and MMQR methodologies to ensure adequate robustness checks of the results. The results assert the mitigation effects of ISO14001 and green governance on carbon emissions and therefore should be incorporated in Ghana’s structural change, renewable energy and economic growth structures. This research discovers that the green innovation pathway (technological innovation and ICT) in Ghana is more arduous since these factors exhibited either minimal or diminished association in mitigating carbon emissions. The study concludes with pragmatic recommendations for policymakers. Government may provide financial incentives, such as tax breaks, low-interest loans, to enterprises that achieve ISO 14001 certification. Sector-specific regulations should be harmonised to facilitate the development of specialised regulations for specific industries that promote cleaner production practices in accordance with ISO 14001 principles. In addition to the central government’s innovation pathway development criteria, local governments and business entities must establish supplementary technological innovation and ICT frameworks.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01468-3ISO 14001Technology innovationStructural changeGreen governanceCO2 emissions
spellingShingle Miss Clare Teroviel Tergu
Isaac Sam Hayford
Jin Zhang
Jinkai Li
Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
Discover Sustainability
ISO 14001
Technology innovation
Structural change
Green governance
CO2 emissions
title Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
title_full Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
title_fullStr Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
title_full_unstemmed Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
title_short Towards carbon neutrality transition in Ghana: unveiling the synergies of ISO14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
title_sort towards carbon neutrality transition in ghana unveiling the synergies of iso14001 and green governance amidst structural change and technology innovation
topic ISO 14001
Technology innovation
Structural change
Green governance
CO2 emissions
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01468-3
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AT isaacsamhayford towardscarbonneutralitytransitioninghanaunveilingthesynergiesofiso14001andgreengovernanceamidststructuralchangeandtechnologyinnovation
AT jinzhang towardscarbonneutralitytransitioninghanaunveilingthesynergiesofiso14001andgreengovernanceamidststructuralchangeandtechnologyinnovation
AT jinkaili towardscarbonneutralitytransitioninghanaunveilingthesynergiesofiso14001andgreengovernanceamidststructuralchangeandtechnologyinnovation