The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned that the combined effects of climate change, environmental degradation and insecurity could push the number of internally displaced people in the sub-region to nearly 32 million by 2050.
The warning was issued at the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, Ghana, where lawmakers are examining the link between climate change, population displacement and rising insecurity in the region.
Representing the President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop, the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari, said more than two million people were displaced in West Africa in 2024 as a result of natural disasters linked to climate change.
He said more than seven million people were affected by flooding during the same period, resulting in the destruction of homes, roads, schools, health facilities, farms and other critical infrastructure.
According to the ECOWAS Commission’s presentation, the combined effects of climate change, insecurity and other vulnerabilities between 2025 and 2026 had resulted in more than 12 million internally displaced people across West and Central Africa, with women and children accounting for about 80 per cent of the figure.
“Climate change is not simply an environmental issue. It is a development issue, a humanitarian issue, a peace and security issue, and ultimately an issue of human survival and regional stability,” Bako-Arifari said.
He cited World Bank projections that the number of internally displaced people in the sub-region could reach nearly 32 million by 2050, largely driven by the combined effects of climate change.
The ECOWAS official urged member states to move away from fragmented responses and adopt a comprehensive regional approach to climate resilience and human security.
“We must be proactive and invest in resilience before crises occur,” he said, stressing the need to protect ecosystems, create livelihoods and address grievances before they escalate into conflict.
The ECOWAS Commission also identified climate financing as a major challenge confronting the region, putting the estimated financing requirement at $294 billion.
It said the bloc had, since 2024, been working towards establishing a regional carbon market platform under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to help mobilise investment for climate action.
The Commission called on parliamentarians to strengthen climate-responsive legislation and oversight, prioritise climate financing, improve early-warning and early-action systems, and promote sustainable management of land, water, forests and fisheries.
It also urged governments to place young people and women at the centre of climate-resilience efforts, describing them as innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and agents of resilience.
The seminar is being held under the theme, “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Rising Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”