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PurposeThis paper presents assessment results on the level of perceived knowledge in climate change and the extent to which participatory awareness in adaptation initiatives by management and the public in key selected areas identified to be highly impacted by climate change has fared.Design/methodology/approachExploratory research design, using snowball, purposive and simple random sampling methods, was employed to assess respondents' level of knowledge in climate change and participatory adaptation awareness activities. Focus group discussion was finally used to appraise returned responses that compared indigenous knowledge with scientific data to examine variables influencing key determinants.FindingsAge, gender, the level of education and work experience were all significant in determining outcome of responses by respondents on perceived level of knowledge in climate change and awareness in adaptation engagement efforts by the public. The study also confirmed existence of perceived knowledge and awareness gap with a marginal difference of 28% between management and stakeholder respondents.Practical implicationsAnthropogenic activities leading to climate change impacts are rarely linked to individual actions, lifestyles and community's sociocultural practices and choices.Originality/valueThere is a disconnect between what climate change managers know and are doing in terms of adaptation and mitigation efforts and what stakeholders should know and are expected to do toward achieving functional participatory engagements in Ghana. It calls for needs assessment on a governance system that will chart a new order to transform individual and household attitudes through curriculum development, awareness training, coping strategies to capacity building for members of the communities and households.

The introduction of a regulatory policy such as Environmental

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained tremendous attention in the policy implementation of some organizations. National governments and societies have developed keen interest in the operations of organizations under this jurisdiction. Therefore, companies may not only be profit oriented but would seek to enhance the welfare of the people as they operate in a more sustainable way without harming the environment. It is on this premise that this article attempts to assess stakeholder participation and sustainability of corporate social responsibility programmes implemented by AngloGold Ashanti in Obuasi, Ghana.CSR programmes initiated by AGA-Obuasi are categorized into four main areas: Community Health and Malaria Control Programme, Social Infrastructure, Education and Sports as well as Art, Culture & Heritage programmes (AngloGold Ashanti, 2013). Activities of the mines affect Obuasi and their allocated unit areas environmentally, socially, economically and culturally and hence, the company is not only profit oriented but has assumed responsibility of developing the community through CSR and the reclamation bond or process.CSR programmes are undertaken voluntarily by the mine corporation to facilitate its operations. CSR policies, plans, program and projects are broad and hence, the study was conducted mainly to assess stakeholder participation and sustainability. The relevant stakeholders in various communities in the AGA-Obuasi operational area were involved in the formulation and implementation of CSR programmes through consultative committee meetings, community/public meetings in various allocated communities. Program were formulated and implemented based on request from host communities.

The use of financial institutions and legislation are some of the regulatory mechanisms for ensuring an effective Environmental Financial Assurance (EFA) implementation. Third party involvement in regulation could mitigate regulatory implementation inefficiency in developing countries. This research uses Ghana as a case study to examine the effectiveness of these two regulatory mechanisms in Ghana's EFA policy implementation. The influence of financial institutions in environmental policy could be seen in 3 folds: as lenders, insurers and investors. Transnational companies (TNCs) are sometimes unwilling to accept regulatory reforms in developing countries because it appears they can get away with it. The knowledge that contractual agreements and legal institutions are weak also seems to allow TNCs to take advantage of the situation and hardly comply fully with the environmental regulations in developing countries.