Livelihood Security: Climate Change, Migration and

Conflict in the Sahel

This joint study has two objectives: to analyze the historical climate trends in the region, identify hotspots and determine the potential implications for livelihoods which depend on natural resources; and to provide recommendations for improving conflict and migration sensitivity in adaptation planning, investments and policies across the region.

The study, which covers 17 countries in the Sahel and West Africa, was released on 5 December 2011.

Using an innovative mapping process to analyze trends in temperature, rainfall, drought and flooding over the past 40 years, this report provides an important contribution to policy-makers and practitioners seeking to ground adaptation policies and investments in a sound understanding of the nature and scale of historical climate trends in the Sahel, and their impacts on livelihoods.

Media resources

• Press release (Eng)
• Press release (Fr)
• Press release (Ger)
• Press release (Ch)

Links to partners

• IOM
• OCHA
• UNU
• CILSS
• Z_GIS

Google Earth maps

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• Seasonal temperature trend (1970-2006)
• Seasonal precipitation trend (1970-2006)
• Areas affected by vegetative drought (1982-2009)
• Areas affected by flood (1985-2009)
• Areas most affected by major changes in individual climate indicators
• Areas most affected by changes in climate (analysis of cumulative changes in climate-related indicators)

The project was conducted by UNEP in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations University (UNU) and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), with technical input from the University of Salzburg’s Centre for Geoinformatics (Z_GIS). It was funded by the Government of Finland.

This study is part of UNEP’s Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding initiative.