Mapping the exposure of socioeconomic and natural systems of West Africa to coastal climate stressors

This climate vulnerability mapping study seeks to illuminate some of the economic, social, and natural systems in West Africa that will be exposed to future sea-level rise, storm surge, and riparian floods. It covers the Guinea Current countries, extending from Guinea-Bissau in the northwest to Cameroon in the southeast. This report aims to fill a perceived research gap by providing a focused assessment on the likely exposure of different systems to seaward stressors among the Guinea Current countries. It highlights that although all 10 countries are exposed to seaward impacts, the coastal fringe from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria is a relatively low-lying region of rapid population growth and intense economic development and, as such, is particularly vulnerable to future surge and sea-level-rise impacts.