Sierra Leone is one of the 10% of countries globally that face the greatest vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, while also being one of the least equipped to handle the consequences. The country is experiencing more frequent unpredictable weather patterns, severe flooding, mudslides, excessive heat, and crop failures, alongside a rapid deforestation rate. Climate experts warn that if significant reductions in global warming are not achieved within the next eight years, the natural disasters witnessed already will pale in comparison to what lies ahead.
Seventy-five percent of the population in Sierra Leone relies on the climate-sensitive agriculture sector for their livelihoods, which also accounts for over 50 percent of the GDP. Despite the country's abundant natural resources, they face challenges such as population growth, reliance on biomass for energy, water pollution, and environmentally harmful mining and resource extraction practices. These factors contribute to further deforestation, soil erosion, and landslides. With a heavy reliance on agriculture and natural resources, along with high levels of poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation, Sierra Leone is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. This means it is also suseptible to the realated threats of social upheaval, large-scale emmigration and political violence.
Given this multi-faceted crisis facing the country- there must be a significant shift in policy mindset toward integrating creative and 'out-of-the-box' approaches that simultaneously address climate adaptation and two or more issues related to livelihoods, employment generation, human capital development, public health, environmental protection, gender equality, food security, and energy access.
One simple example is expanding the use of solar energy in all aspects of the economy and residential settings. Currently, there are solar powered interventions that directly link with improved agro-processing operations, potable water sources, health care delivery, and Internet connectivity for secondary schools in targeted districts. But, there need to be many, many more. Scaling up in a 'local to regional to national' approach must start in earnest. This requires all government and civil society groups to engage and trust and experiment together.
Transitioning to a green economy, or a green society, is achievable in Sierra Leone and is more doable than you might imagine. The nation possesses abundant natural resources, a motivated youth demographic eager to contribute to a brighter tomorrow, a dynamic and increasingly well- educated populace who undersand the implications of climate change on thier lives, and finds itself at the forefront of climate change repercussions.
However, Saloneans cannot do it alone, nor should they be expected to. Sierra Leone has contributed almost nothing to the climate crisis and yet it's paying dearly for it. These current and future challenges cannot be overcome within the existing development finance and traditional government-down approaches. It is crucial for the country to seize the available opportunities to leverage innovative climate finance from the 'big' players internationally while embracing small-scale sustainable solutions to the maximum extent possible.
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