Climate risk management in Senegal

Efforts to manage climate change and extreme weather risks in Senegal have transitioned from media-focused capacity building to proactive disaster prevention strategies.

In August, the organization Citoyens Actifs pour la Justice Sociale (CAJUST) conducted a workshop in Dakar for approximately fifty media professionals. The training aimed to improve news coverage regarding energy transitions, renewable energy, and climate change to address fragile monitoring of climate adaptation. This occurred alongside meteorological warnings for heavy rain and thunderstorms, particularly in the south and east of the country.

By September, focus intensified on practical risk management and community preparedness. In Tambacounda, stakeholders including ANACIM, regional development agencies, and agricultural producers held workshops to mitigate the impacts of floods, bushfires, and violent winds on local infrastructure and plantations. National authorities have also emphasized the need for enhanced preparedness, specifically regarding flood risks and the maintenance of drainage and sanitation infrastructure.

In mid-September, regional initiatives continued to prioritize community resilience and early warning systems. In Ziguinchor, authorities began developing contingency plans to protect lives and property from various disasters. In Tambacounda, coordination efforts between emergency services, local officials, and agricultural producers remained a priority, specifically focusing on protecting vulnerable sectors such as banana plantations from extreme weather events.