West Africa: Climate Change, Governance and Security Across a Connected Region

This episode explores how climate, peace and security interact across West Africa.

Across the region, climate change is placing growing pressure on communities, livelihoods and natural resources. Along West Africa’s Atlantic coast, rising and warming sea levels, coastal erosion, changing rainfall patterns and declining fish stocks are reshaping life from fishing communities to major port cities. At the same time, increasing resource scarcity and competition over land, water and other natural resources are creating new inland challenges for communities and governments across the region.

We look at how these climate pressures interact with wider security and governance challenges, including mobility, youth unemployment, crime and competition over natural resources. We also explore the role of governance in managing growing pressures, why West Africa's coastline is emerging as an important climate and security frontier, and how communities, governments, regional organizations and the UN are working together to respond to shared challenges and strengthen regional cooperation.

Nazanine Moshiri speaks to Ibrahim Yahya, Deputy Director of the Sahel Project at International Crisis Group, Mira Gratier, Consultant with the United Nations Environment Programme, and Tanya Merceron, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor at UNOWAS.

References:

• International Crisis Group (2023): Containing Militancy in West Africa’s Park W.
• UNDP Prevention Facility for the Gulf of Guinea.

Climate, Crisis and Courage is hosted by Nazanine Moshiri.
Produced by the Climate Security Mechanism and the United Nations System Staff College, in collaboration with the Berghof Foundation.

In this episode, we have used audio clips from TVC News Nigeria and DW News.