West Africa Seeks Increased Climate Finance Ahead Of COP31
West African countries have called for increased climate finance and adaptation support to address the growing impact of climate change on the sub-region ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Türkiye.
The call was highlighted at a three-day regional workshop in Accra, which brought together climate negotiators from all member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to develop a common position on key climate issues.
The workshop, convened under the ECOWAS Regional Support Group for International Climate Negotiations, focused on strengthening the sub-region’s negotiating position on climate finance, adaptation and sustainable development.
Speaking at the meeting, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, said the Accra engagement would also advance plans for a dedicated West African Pavilion at COP31 to showcase the sub-region’s climate resilience initiatives.
Officials of Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, which chaired the meeting, underscored the importance of a unified regional approach to climate negotiations to ensure that West Africa’s shared priorities received greater attention at the global level.
Participants reviewed outcomes from recent sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), identified gaps in implementation and harmonised regional demands ahead of the conference scheduled for November 9 to 20, 2026, in Antalya, Türkiye.
Although West Africa contributes relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains vulnerable to climate-related disasters, including floods, droughts and coastal erosion.
The negotiators, therefore, emphasised the need for stronger international support to help countries in the sub-region build resilience and address the effects of climate change.
The meeting also considered measures to keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold within reach through more ambitious emissions cuts and increased support for climate adaptation.
Emmanuel Quarshie Ashong, ISD
