The Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Erosion in West Africa

The effects of climate change, from
changing precipitation patterns to rising seas, will
exacerbate the coastal erosion already affecting West
Africa, increasing the exposure and vulnerability of the
people and assets located there. Given the importance of the
coastal zone to the region as a whole, it is critical that
policy makers consider the effects of future climate change
in the decisions they make today. Regional cooperation is
challenging, but it has been successful in many places,
particularly where the issue addressed presented an
existential challenge to the coun¬tries affected. Efforts to
build trust and coordinate efforts will help policy makers
protect the lives and livelihoods of the people in the
region and allow their countries to build on the development
gains made in recent years rather than see them rolled back
as a result of climate change.