Managing Coastal Risks in West Africa

Coastal erosion is a naturally occurring
process that is accelerated by human impacts. Artificial
stabilization of the shoreline, the deterioration of natural
formations, the construction of infrastructure, the
extraction of materials, and the proliferation of dams
deprive fragile coastal areas of important sediment
deposits, which leads to erosion. Degradation of the
shoreline reduces the natural protection of coastal areas to
storm surges, which, together with heavy precipitation,
exposes low-lying areas to flooding. Given the trans
boundary nature of the region’s ecosystems, the potential
downstream effects of infrastructure, and the importance of
the coastline for all sectors, optimal solutions to reduce
the risk along West Africa’s coasts can be reached only
through multi sectoral action and multinational cooperation.
Every national and regional development plan in West Africa
should take coastal risks and adaption to climate change
into consideration.