Session FT 5.02

Reducing West Africa's Vulnerability to climate impacts on water resources

 

 

Conveners

• CILSS:AGRHYMET (Regional Center of Meteorological Applications for Development of the Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel)
• GWP/West Africa Water Partnership
• IUCN-The World Conservation Union (West Africa Regional Office)

The objective of the session is to share ideas on practical adaptation measures that could help reduce the high level of vulnerability of the West Africa Region to climate change and variability. The session was also an opportunity to present the The Platform – Water for the Sahel : Developing Water Resources to Combat Poverty in the Sahel, which the member countries of CILSS (Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel) adopted in early March 2006 (few weeks before the Mexico World Water Forum) in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

 

Lessons learned

 

1. It is important to collect relevant data that could help quantify the impacts of adaptation measures pilot-tested. Impacts information can then be used in efforts to mobilise support for the replication of proven adaptation measures and techniques.
2. There is a need to ensure availability of quality decision-support scientific information
3. Local communities’ knowledge and know-how should be paid due attention to in identifying appropriate local-level adaptation measures but also in efforts to scale-up proven techniques and practices

 

Key messages and orientations for action

 

1. There is a need for a regional adaptation strategy in West Africa that complements efforts that are underway at the national level. One of the key factors justifying such a complementary regional strategy relates to the fact that West African States are highly water-interdependent
2. West Africa Regional Adaptation Strategy focused on adaptation rather than mitigation, because Sub-Saharan Africa, while only contributing 2% of the global emission of Green House Gases, is the most vulnerable continent to the impacts of climate change. This applies even more strikingly to West Africa and the Sahel, the poorest regions of Africa. On the basis of this, participants to the Dialogue on Water and Climate in West Africa elected to put the emphasis on adaptation rather than mitigation.
   
   

Local Actions presented

 

Water and soil management in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso

Christophe Brachet, CILSS/AGRHYMET

 

Flood forecasting for IWRM in the Inner Delta of Niger in Mali

Christophe Brachet, CILSS/AGRHYMET

 

Impacts & Lessons from Regional Dialogue on Water and Climate in West Africa

Olumide Akinsola, IUCN-West Africa