Making development climate resilient: a World Bank strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa
This document is the World Bank’s operational response to climate variability and change on the continent. It is based on the premise that increased climate variability threatens the development gains of African countries, and that these effects need to be anticipated so that development efforts can be made more resilient to climate change. It identifies actions that will support and/or accelerate ongoing development efforts while making them more resilient to climatic risks. Therefore, the need to link adaptation to development, and to manage development, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction as one integrated agenda — are the core principles of this strategy.
It aims to articulate a vision, key messages, priorities, and operational implications of the Bank Group's climate-related work in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is grounded in an assessment of the diverse climatic profile and vulnerabilities of the region, including identified knowledge gaps, expected impacts, work already under way by countries and partners, and key actions to be taken over time. It is underpinned by four principles: (i) disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation need be managed as a single integrated agenda; (ii) adaptation and risk reduction are fundamentally about sound development; (iii) mitigation should go hand-in-hand with adaptation, but should not be a constraint on Africa's access to energy and economic growth; and (iv) scaling-up financing is necessary to meet Africa's development needs in a climate-constrained environment.