This ECOWAS Regional Climate Strategy is the result of a long consultation process with institutions, departments and specialist agencies of ECOWAS, Member States in the fight against climate change and its effects on the environment, including: floods, increased variability of droughts, rainfall, coastal and soil erosion in river basins. The Strategy is structured as follows: Part 1 defines approach and vision for a fair and ambitious regional climate strategy; general context; strength and weakness of regional integration for the acceleration of climate action; vision and specific objectives of the Strategy; regional sectoral policies covering the following sector: agriculture, livestock farming, fisheries and aquaculture, energy, transport and mobility, natural ecosystem and biodiversity, water resources, coastal zones management, health, climate services, disaster risk management and early warning systems, industry, waste management. Part 2 applies the Strategy’s contents to each sector, moving towards a region resilient to the impacts and vulnerabilities linked to climate change. Part 3 concerns encouragement of low-carbon development and economic opportunities. Part 4 provides for institutional mechanism, monitoring assessment and transversal means of implementation. The Vision of this Strategy aims at supporting Member States in overcoming the challenge of the fight against climate change, improving community’s resilience and management to develop the economic opportunities in favour of long-term, low-carbon, sustainable development and the reduction of poverty. Considering the various sectors, the Strategy defines specific measures and interventions: promotion of agro-ecology projects; support the employment of young people in the agro-pastoral and fisheries sectors; definition of standards for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from livestock; regeneration of pastures; financial and technical support to smallholder farmers’ organisations; improvement of soil fertility, land restoration and agricultural production; energy efficiency programmes; massive development of renewable energy sources; protection of forest environment, biodiversity and the production of ecosystem services essential for communities; control of transboundary movements of hazardous waste; programmes on environmental and health risks related to chemicals, urban waste management, toxic products; promotion of gender issues and women empowerment; increasing efficiency of crops, cereals and livestock production; promotion of innovative aquaculture systems, and protection of marine and freshwater resources; integrated management of water resources.
2022-04-01