The role that Poverty and Social Impact Assessment is presently playing and can potentially play in promoting sustainability in developing countries: The case of Ghana

Abstract

Humans are growing on the earth. With each growth comes an equivalent pressure on our natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable. Care therefore has to be taken so as not to over-exploit our resources. A question immediately comes to mind; with the increase in the population, should the needs of the current population be met or not? The answer to this question seems pretty obvious. Definitely, the needs of the current generation should be met as every person has the right to life and to be cared of. The current generations has an obligation to make sure they do not hand over the earth to the next generation in a deteriorating manner. In fact, the current generation has the responsibility of repairing the current Earth and handing it over in a better condition to the next generation. It is in this light that I am writing this paper. I will critically look at the notion of what is meant by sustainability in the context of human settlement and how poverty and social impact analysis can significantly help address the issue of sustainable development in the context of a developing country. This journal will use the case of Poverty and Social Impact Assessment in Ghana's electricity sector as a case study.