Today SIPRI and its partners launch a new series of videos that examine the linkages between climate change and security in West Africa.
Climate change is altering the security landscape on a global scale, with West Africa experiencing the effects at a faster rate than the rest of the world. The regional impact of climate change is compounded by political tensions, violent conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies. Changing climate conditions are having a direct effect on natural resource availability, biodiversity and agricultural productivity, exacerbating the human security implications of climate change in West Africa. Projections indicate that unprecedented changes in temperatures and precipitation will occur in the region over the next 10–20 years, further exacerbating the situation. Moreover, violent conflicts are escalating and spilling over into neighbouring countries.
Given the need for locally anchored analyses and responses to climate-related security risks in West Africa, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Peace and Security Centre of Competence Sub-Saharan Africa (FES), the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) have interviewed leading experts on these issues.
Watch the interviews with:
In addition to these interviews, FES, NUPI and SIPRI have jointly published a report entitled Climate Change and Security in West Africa: Regional Perspectives on Addressing Climate-related Security Risks edited by Kheira Tarif, SIPRI Researcher.