By Stella Odueme
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for stronger regional action to address the growing impact of climate change on environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity across West Africa.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, made the call in a speech delivered by the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari, at the opening of the Second 2026 Joint Parliamentary Seminar in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday.
The three-day seminar, which runs from September 21 to 23, is themed: “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
Diop said climate change had evolved beyond an environmental concern, describing it as a development, humanitarian, peace and security challenge with implications for human survival and regional stability.
He said West Africa was particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, desertification, coastal erosion, flooding and the degradation of forests and farmlands.
According to him, more than two million people were displaced in 2024 as a result of natural disasters linked to climate change, while over seven million people were affected by flooding across the ECOWAS region.
He said the disasters had resulted in destroyed homes, roads, schools, health facilities and other critical infrastructure, as well as the loss of farmlands and food reserves, thereby worsening human insecurity.
The ECOWAS Commission President further stated that the combined effects of climate change and other sources of insecurity and vulnerability had contributed to the displacement of more than 12 million people in West and Central Africa between 2025 and 2026.
He noted that women and children accounted for about 80 per cent of the displaced population.
Diop expressed sympathy to the government and people of Ghana over the victims of the June 2026 floods, which he said claimed lives and affected thousands of people across the country.
He subsequently called on participants at the seminar to observe a minute of silence in honour of victims of climate-related disasters in the sub-region.
The ECOWAS Commission President also cited projections by the World Bank indicating that the number of internally displaced persons in the sub-region could reach nearly 32 million by 2050, largely due to the combined effects of climate change.
He said the projection should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers because 2050 also represents the target horizon of the ECOWAS Vision 2050, which seeks to build a region of peace and prosperity.
Diop recalled that following the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the ECOWAS Commission introduced initiatives aimed at supporting its implementation across the region.
He said the Commission developed a practical guide for implementing the agreement in 2020 and subsequently facilitated the adoption of the Regional Climate Strategy and its 2022–2030 Action Plan by member states in 2022.
He added that since 2024, the Commission had also been pursuing the establishment of a regional carbon market platform in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
According to him, the mechanism is expected to help mobilise resources needed to address the region’s climate financing requirements, estimated at $294 billion.
Diop said the parliamentary seminar was designed to provide a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and inter-institutional consultations aimed at developing concrete recommendations for strengthening climate resilience, human security and sustainable development in the region.
He stressed the important role of parliamentarians in translating regional commitments into national action through legislation, budgetary approvals and oversight.
He urged lawmakers to strengthen climate-responsive legislation and oversight, prioritise climate financing, improve early warning and early action systems, and promote inclusive management of natural resources.
He also called for greater involvement of women, young people, traditional authorities and local communities in decisions concerning land, water, forests and fisheries.
“Climate resilience cannot be achieved through declarations alone. We need predictable domestic and regional resources, while also mobilising international climate finance and strengthening access to available funding mechanisms,” he said.
The ECOWAS Commission President further advocated stronger cooperation among member states on climate adaptation, disaster management, food and water security, environmental protection, cross-border resource management and the peaceful management of climate-related mobility.
He called for increased collaboration among ECOWAS institutions, national governments, parliaments, civil society, traditional authorities, the private sector, academia and development partners.
Diop also proposed a new regional compact on climate resilience and human security, saying the region needed to move from fragmented responses to a comprehensive approach.
He said security should no longer be viewed only in terms of protecting borders and preventing armed conflict, but should also encompass access to food, water, livelihoods, a safe environment and opportunities for a dignified life.
“We must be proactive and invest in resilience before crises occur. We must protect our ecosystems before they become irreversibly degraded. We must create livelihoods before desperation drives communities into displacement. Last but not the least, we must address grievances before they become conflict,” he said.
He urged the seminar to produce concrete recommendations, stronger legislation, effective oversight and enhanced regional cooperation.
Diop said the ECOWAS Commission remained committed to implementing valuable recommendations from the seminar as the regional bloc transitions from an “ECOWAS of States” to an “ECOWAS of People and Prosperity for All.”