The ECOWAS Parliament has called for urgent regional action to address the growing environmental, humanitarian and security challenges linked to climate change in West Africa.
The lawmakers made the call at the end of a weeklong seminar on how drought, floods, coastal erosion and environmental degradation are driving displacement and insecurity across the region. Speaker Mémounatou Ibrahima urged member states to translate the seminar’s recommendations into concrete action.
Among the recommendations were the establishment of a Regional Climate Resilience Fund, stronger early-warning systems, expanded agroforestry and faster adoption of renewable energy. The parliament also called for inclusive climate policies, equitable access to climate finance and stronger oversight of Nationally Determined Contributions and regional climate commitments.
Ibrahima said climate change was increasingly threatening livelihoods, population stability, development and regional security, stressing that political will, innovation and regional cooperation were needed to build resilience. She said the seminar’s conclusions would be transmitted to relevant authorities for follow-up.
The seminar, themed “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity,” featured country reports from Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Togo and Nigeria. The discussions highlighted the need to move beyond isolated interventions towards stronger regional coordination.
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