As the Second Extraordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament opened Monday in Accra, Ghana, experts have expressed concern over climate risks, warning that it is asserting growing pressure on livelihoods, infrastructure and stability in West Africa.

With the theme, ‘Climate change as a driver of environmental degradation, population displacement and rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS region, they identified rising temperatures, extreme weather, drought and unpredictable rainfall as some indicators of the rising consequences of change in climate change.

According to the meeting, regular flooding, rising sea levels and land degradation are placing growing pressure on communities and critical infrastructure across the region.

Declaring the week-long meeting opened, the Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, said the meeting is significance as it provides delegates the opportunity to vommence action on the issues before the Parliament.

The Speaker also drew delegates’ 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 his presentation on climate change in West Africa, including risk areas, vulnerabilities and implications for regional stability, the Senior Programme Officer, Climate Change and Ozone Directorate, 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.

He cited the 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 presenter, seasonal temperatures have risen by between one and three degrees Celsius since 1970, contributing to hotter heatwaves and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Sarfo-Yiadom noted that 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.

Sarfo-Yiadom therefore 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 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, held that ECOWAS needed to harmonise regional climate policies and standards while supporting member states to implement their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

He identified institutional fragmentation, differences in national capacities and difficulties accessing climate finance as some of the challenges affecting climate action across the region.

Kouame called for stronger coordination between regional and national institutions and for sharing of experience among member states.
He also advocated mechanisms that would help countries develop national frameworks relating to regional climate structures.
According to him, regional cooperation should cover climate services, early warning systems, forest and ecosystem protection and carbon markets and access to climate finance.

He expressed need for the region to strengthen its capacity to access available climate funds and develop innovative financing mechanisms to support implementation.

He also believed that ECOWAS has 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 in his presentation, examined climate and resource pressures in West Africa, with particular attention to drought, land degradation and food insecurity, noting 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 added that regional strategies needed to be supported by adequate financing, stronger institutions and effective implementation mechanisms.