Experts have warned that climate change is putting growing pressure on livelihoods, infrastructure and regional stability across West Africa at the Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and Second Seminar with the theme: Climate change as a driver of environmental degradation, population displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region taking place in Accra, Ghana.
The experts said rising temperatures, extreme weather, drought, unpredictable rainfall, flooding, rising sea levels and land degradation were placing growing pressure on communities and critical infrastructure across the region.
The warning came as the ECOWAS Parliament began discussions on the impact of climate change and environmental pressures on West Africa.
Opening the proceedings, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima welcomed parliamentarians and participants to Accra, noting the significance of the gathering and the opportunity it provided for delegates to begin work on the issues before the Parliament.
The Speaker also drew attention to Ghana’s Founder’s Day, which coincides with the birth of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. She recalled Nkrumah’s vision of a free and united Africa capable of determining its own destiny and called on participants to honour his memory. A minute of silence was observed in his honour.
In a presentation focused on climate change in West Africa, including risk areas, vulnerabilities and implications for regional stability, the Senior Programme Officer, Climate Change and Ozone Directorate of Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, Dr Derek Sarfo-Yiadom stated that climate hazards were no longer distant threats but realities affecting communities across the region.
“Climate hazards are with us,” he said, identifying extreme heat, drought, heavy and unpredictable rainfall, rising sea levels and other weather-related events as growing concerns.
He said the impact of climate hazards becomes a disaster when exposed communities lack the capacity to cope.
According to the presentation, seasonal temperatures have risen by between one and three degrees Celsius since 1970, contributing to hotter heatwaves and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Dr Sarfo-Yiadom said changing rainfall patterns were also increasing flood risks, while drought and heat were putting pressure on farming and livelihoods.
He identified farmers, low-income communities, coastal settlements and displaced populations among groups particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
The presentation also highlighted risks to homes, irrigation, electricity, transport networks, ports, markets and public services.
Dr Sarfo-Yiadom warned that climate change was not only an environmental issue but also had social and economic consequences. He said climate pressures could contribute to displacement and conflict, particularly where communities depend heavily on agriculture and natural resources.
Dr Sarfo-Yiadom called for increased investment in adaptation, flood-proof zoning and the expansion of climate-risk mapping. He also urged governments to ensure that early-warning systems reach vulnerable communities and that public authorities are held accountable for climate-related spending.
In another presentation which focused on the ECOWAS regulatory and institutional framework and the need to translate climate commitments into regional action, the Principal Officer, Climate Change and Climate Services at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Raoul Kouame said ECOWAS needed to harmonise regional climate policies and standards while supporting member states to implement their commitments under the Paris Agreement.
“The challenge is no longer just to define climate commitments,” he said.
He identified institutional fragmentation, differences in national capacities and difficulties accessing climate finance as some of the challenges affecting climate action across the region.
Mr Kouame called for stronger coordination between regional and national institutions and greater sharing of experience among member states. He also advocated mechanisms that would help countries develop national frameworks connected to regional climate structures.
According to him, regional cooperation should cover areas including climate services, early warning systems, forest and ecosystem protection, carbon markets and access to climate finance. He said the region needed to strengthen its capacity to access available climate funds and develop innovative financing mechanisms to support implementation.
Mr Kouame stressed that ECOWAS had an important role to play in providing regional solidarity and helping member states implement their climate commitments more effectively.
A climate, water and meteorology expert with the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Dr. Abdou Ali whose presentation examined climate and resource pressures in West Africa, with particular attention to drought, land degradation and food insecurity, stressed the importance of regional cooperation in addressing climate risks that cross national borders.
He highlighted the need for member states to share climate information, data, technical expertise and climate services.
The presentation also examined existing international, continental, regional and national frameworks for responding to climate change. Dr Ali said regional cooperation was essential because climate risks did not stop at national borders.
He highlighted agriculture, coastal areas, biodiversity, disaster risk and human displacement among the areas requiring coordinated adaptation measures. He also pointed to the importance of integrating climate action into agriculture, forestry, energy, transport, industrialisation and waste management policies.
The expert said regional strategies needed to be supported by adequate financing, stronger institutions and effective implementation mechanisms.
The presentations converged on the need for stronger climate adaptation measures across West Africa. The experts further stressed that adaptation measures must take account of the needs and livelihoods of affected communities to avoid creating new vulnerabilities.
Parliamentarians are currently deliberating on the expert presentations.