An Assessment of Vulnerability and Adaptation of Coastal Mangroves of West Africa in the Face of Climate Change

Climate Change Impact and Adaptation: Lagoonal Fishing Communities in West Africa

“…Mangroves are the key lagoon wetland vegetation and provide a variety of ecosystem services: shoreline protection and storm buffering through trapping sediment and dissipating wave energy, regulation of water quality, and provision fish habitats and nurseries (Blankespoor et al 2014). Through the ecosystem services they provide, mangroves are estimated to contribute approximately 3 billion US dollars annually to the West African economies (Boateng 2018). Despite the importance of mangroves to lagoon communities, they have been decimated due to overexploitation, clearance, and pollution (Boateng 2018;Djihouessi et al 2016).…”

“…Through the ecosystem services they provide, mangroves are estimated to contribute approximately 3 billion US dollars annually to the West African economies (Boateng 2018). Despite the importance of mangroves to lagoon communities, they have been decimated due to overexploitation, clearance, and pollution (Boateng 2018;Djihouessi et al 2016). The impacts of climate change at the coast (sea level rise, changes to temperature, shifts in rainfall patterns, and increased storminess) have further contributed to their demise.…”

“…High rates of erosion have also been observed near the Lekki lagoon, along Nigeria's lagoon-barrier coast (Danladi et al 2017). At all these locations, rates of erosion are often exacerbated by the loss of mangroves (Diop and Sherin 2016;Boateng 2018), and in a negative feedback loop, coastlines with high erosion rates often experience increased mangrove loss as the root structures of the plant become compromised due to the loss of substrate through erosion. Erosion associated with SLR affects not only natural coastlines, including the lagoon barrier integrity, but also the stability of human structures.…”

“…In Ghana, an example of the disconnect between national coastal resource policy and local community needs is seen in the mismanagement of mangroves. Mangroves are overexploited by lagoon communities, despite playing a vital role in the physical protection of coastal areas, and mangrove conservation plans at lagoons have suffered from a lack of administrative coordination across ministries and agencies (Boateng 2018). Conventional multi-institutional, top-down systems of government have not been very successful in resolving or managing coastal problems (Clarke et al 2013).…”

Climate Change Impact and Adaptation: Lagoonal Fishing Communities in West Africa

“…In Ghana, an example of the disconnect between national coastal resource policy and local community needs is seen in the mismanagement of mangroves. Mangroves are overexploited by lagoon communities, despite playing a vital role in the physical protection of coastal areas, and mangrove conservation plans at lagoons have suffered from a lack of administrative coordination across ministries and agencies (Boateng 2018). Conventional multiinstitutional, top-down systems of government have not been very successful in resolving or managing coastal problems (Clarke et al 2013).…”