Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): Extractive Industries, Environmental Change, and Sustainability: Perspectives from Africa and Beyond

This issue of the Journal of Nature-Based Solutions and Innovations presents five timely contributions at the intersection of environmental governance, food security, and climate resilience. An opening editorial critically examines the gendered dimensions of Ghana's mining sector, arguing that gender inequality is structurally embedded in resource governance. A companion research article investigates heavy metal contamination in cassava and cocoyam tubers from mining communities in the Ahafo Region, revealing significant public health and food safety concerns. A biodiversity assessment draws on expert perceptions to identify overexploitation, population growth, and climate change as Ghana's foremost ecological threats. Turning to climate adaptation, a farmer-focused study from the Black Volta Basin documents how smallholder farmers perceive and respond to shifting rainfall patterns. Finally, a carbon footprint assessment of a leading Ethiopian university establishes an institutional emissions baseline and evaluates pathways toward carbon neutrality. Together, these articles advance evidence-based policy for sustainable development across Africa.