Climate experts have urged ECOWAS member states to intensify regional action against climate change, warning that rising temperatures, extreme weather, and environmental degradation are increasingly threatening livelihoods, infrastructure, and stability across West Africa. The call was made at the Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Second Seminar held in Accra, Ghana, with the theme, “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
According to climate experts, drought, flooding, unpredictable rainfall, rising sea levels, and land degradation are compounding existing economic and social vulnerabilities in communities across the region. Senior Programme Officer, Climate Change and Ozone Directorate of Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, Dr Derek Sarfo-Yiadom, said climate change had become an immediate reality for West African communities, identifying extreme heat, drought, heavy rainfall, changing rainfall patterns, and rising sea levels among the major threats facing the region.
Dr Sarfo-Yiadom warned that climate hazards could become disasters when communities exposed to them lacked adequate capacity and resources to respond. He noted that seasonal temperatures have increased by between one and three degrees Celsius since 1970, contributing to more frequent heatwaves and unpredictable weather conditions. Changing rainfall patterns were increasing flood risks, while prolonged drought and extreme heat were putting pressure on agricultural production and livelihoods.
The expert listed farmers, low-income communities, coastal settlements, and displaced populations among those most vulnerable to climate impacts. He further warned that climate-related risks were affecting critical infrastructure, including homes, irrigation facilities, electricity systems, transport networks, ports, markets, and public services. Climate change had consequences beyond the environment, with worsening climate conditions contributing to population displacement and conflict, particularly in areas where communities depend heavily on agriculture and natural resources.
Dr Sarfo-Yiadom called for increased investment in adaptation measures, improved flood-proof planning, and wider climate-risk mapping. He also urged governments to strengthen early-warning systems and ensure that climate information reaches communities most exposed to environmental hazards. He called for greater accountability in the utilisation of funds allocated to climate-related programmes.
Principal Officer, Climate Change and Climate Services at the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Raoul Kouame, said the region needed to move from climate commitments to stronger implementation. He identified institutional fragmentation, disparities in national capacities, and limited access to climate finance as major obstacles to effective climate action. Kouame urged ECOWAS to strengthen coordination between regional institutions and member states while promoting the exchange of technical knowledge and experience.
Climate, water, and meteorology expert with the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Dr Abdou Ali, said climate-related challenges required collective action because their effects were not restricted by national boundaries. Effective regional climate strategies must be supported by adequate financing, stronger institutions, and mechanisms capable of ensuring implementation. The session provided an opportunity for parliamentarians and participants to address issues of importance to the region, including climate change and its impacts on West Africa.
Key points
- Experts warn of rising temperatures, extreme weather, and environmental degradation threatening livelihoods, infrastructure, and stability across West Africa.
- Climate change has become an immediate reality for West African communities, with severe consequences for the region.
- Experts call for increased investment in adaptation measures, improved flood-proof planning, and wider climate-risk mapping to address climate-related challenges.
