Environment and Natural Resources Research; Vol. 4, No. 4; 2014 ISSN 1927-0488 E-ISSN 1927-0496 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 37 When Rhetoric Meets Reality: Attitudinal Change and Coastal Zone Management in Ghana Elaine T. Lawson 1 1 Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana Correspondence: Elaine T. Lawson, Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. E-mail: elaine_t@ug.edu.gh Received: July 11, 2014 Accepted: August 8, 2014 Online Published: September 1, 2014 doi:10.5539/enrr.v4n4p37 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v4n4p37 Abstract The current poor state of coastal natural resources in Ghana has been attributed to pressures largely from anthropogenic sources, as well as to the negative attitudes of resource users. In order to facilitate attitudinal change educational programmes have focused on the linear model of behaviour, where an awareness of environmental problems is thought to lead to positive environmental behaviour. This paper presents the results of a study of the environmental attitudes of some coastal residents and the socio-economic milieu in which these attitudes are expressed. The results indicated that (1) majority of the respondents lacked access to basic infrastructure, (2) their main environmental concerns were linked to their desire for better living conditions, (3) they have generally positive environmental attitudes and (4) their positive environmental attitudes did not translate to good environmental behaviour because of factors mentioned in (1) and (2). The paper recommends the consideration of environmental and socio-economic concerns of resource users, which influence behavioural intentions during the policy-making processes. Keywords: attitudinal change, coastal zone, environmental attitudes, environmental behaviour, environmental concerns, Ghana, intentions, natural resources 1. Introduction For thousands of years humans have had a close relationship with the sea, with the vast resources of the ocean are contributing to the survival of coastal communities (English, 2003). The high concentration of human populations along coasts makes coastal ecosystems some of the most impacted and altered worldwide (Adger et al., 2005). For example it is estimated that about 40% of the human population is compressed into 5% of the inhabited land-space along the margins of ocean, seas and great lakes (Olsen, 2009). In addition, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report in 2009 confirmed that key habitats supporting coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, are declining in area (UNEP, 2012). The current poor state of Ghana’s coastal zone is as result of extensive pressures largely from anthropogenic sources, resulting in environmental and socio-economic impacts on the functioning of the coastal ecosystems. Drivers of degradation include population increase, poverty, over-exploitation of fisheries resources, farming, industrial and extractive activities. For example the decrease in mangroves and coastal shrubs could be attributed to economic and agricultural activities in the coastal zone (Coleman et al., 2005) (Tables 1 and 2). Table 1. Evidence of coastal degradation in some coastal habitats in Ghana Classes Area (ha) in 1990 Area (ha) in 2000 % change (1990 to 2000) Water 116,188 117,829 1.41 Mangrove 2,605 1,905 -26.87 Settlement 1,117 1,792 37.67 Coastal shrubs 27,884 21,181 -24.04 Agriculture 15,363 20,450 24.88 Source: Coleman et al. (2005).