“The Security Council recognises the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes and natural disasters, including through floods, drought, desertification, and land degradation, as well as their exacerbating effects on food security and on other humanitarian, social and economic challenges, which impact the security and stability of West Africa and the Sahel region. The Security Council continues to stress the need for long-term strategies, based on comprehensive risk assessments by governments and the United Nations, to support stabilisation and build resilience, and encourages UNOWAS within its current resources, to continue to integrate this information, as appropriate, in its activities. The Security Council takes note of efforts to develop region-specific approaches and initiatives towards comprehensive risk assessments, climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in West Africa and the Sahel, and encourages UNOWAS’ continued advocacy for efforts, within its current mandate and resources, to scale up international action and support, through inter alia, humanitarian and development action, the development, voluntary transfer and deployment of technology on mutually agreed terms, resource mobilisation and capacity-building, including on renewables-based energy transition, and energy efficiency in line with existing commitments to enhance the adaptive capacity of countries from the region and to reduce their vulnerability to climate change. The Security Council stresses the particular relevance of the above elements to the specific situation in West Africa and the Sahel region. The Security Council acknowledges the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement as the primary international, intergovernmental forums for negotiating the global response to climate change.
