By Mariatou Ngum & Abdou Mbye
His Excellency Mohammed B.S. Jallow, on Tuesday presided over the official launch of the Climate-Resilient Banjul: Enhancing Urban Resilience in the Greater Banjul Area (CLIMB) Project, describing the initiative as a major turning point in the country’s response to the growing threats posed by climate change.
The launch, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo, brought together government officials, members of the National Environment Management Council, Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries, development partners, representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), members of the diplomatic corps, local government authorities, civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Vice President Jallow said the launch came at a moment when The Gambia could no longer afford to treat climate change as a distant environmental concern, stressing that its effects are already being felt across communities, livelihoods, infrastructure and the national economy.
“This moment marks a turning point in our nation’s response to the existential threat of climate change,” the Vice President declared.
He noted that while The Gambia contributes less than 0.01 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country remains among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, making urgent adaptation and resilience-building measures imperative.
According to the Vice President, the Greater Banjul Area is particularly exposed to climate-related risks, with rising sea levels threatening approximately 60 percent of the population and economic assets concentrated in the region.
He further highlighted the mounting economic costs of climate impacts, noting that flooding alone is estimated to cause losses of up to 3.8 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product annually, while climate-related impacts consume nearly a quarter of the annual road maintenance budget.
The Vice President also drew attention to the increasing threat of saltwater intrusion, which, he said, has penetrated the River Gambia by as much as 150 kilometres during the dry season, posing serious risks to freshwater resources and agricultural production, particularly rice farming.
He warned that without decisive and sustained action, climate change could reduce The
Gambia’s GDP by as much as 9.3 percent by 2050 and push tens of thousands of Gambians into poverty.
“This is not a distant threat—it is a present and pressing reality that demands a comprehensive and urgent response,” he said.
A Transformative Investment in Urban Resilience
Vice President Jallow described the CLIMB Project as a transformative national intervention designed to respond directly to the climate vulnerabilities facing Greater Banjul.
Valued at more than US$12 million, the project is funded by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Environment Programme and is intended to strengthen climate resilience across the Greater Banjul Area.
The Vice President said the initiative builds on the foundations established by the UNDP/GEF Coastal Resilience Project, which contributed to coastal restoration and the rehabilitation of thousands of hectares of mangroves.
However, he noted that CLIMB represents an important next step by moving beyond coastal interventions to embed climate resilience into urban planning, infrastructure development, environmental management and community preparedness.
He described the project as “a comprehensive blueprint for urban survival,” built around three core pillars.
The first pillar focuses on strengthening governance, with the project seeking to integrate climate resilience into urban planning laws, infrastructure standards and development practices.
Vice President Jallow acknowledged that poor land-use practices and excessive concretisation have contributed to flooding and heat stress, stressing the need for a fundamental rethink of how urban areas are planned and developed.
The second pillar centres on ecosystem-based adaptation, including the protection of wetlands and mangroves, which serve as natural barriers against flooding and storm surges.
The initiative will also promote green infrastructure and climate-smart urban farming as part of efforts to strengthen environmental sustainability, food security and community resilience.
The third pillar is community empowerment, which will focus on equipping communities with knowledge and tools to better prepare for climate shocks, while strengthening early warning systems.
According to the Vice President, placing communities at the centre of adaptation efforts will ensure that climate responses are inclusive, locally relevant and sustainable.
Strengthening The Gambia’s Climate Commitments
Vice President Jallow said the launch of CLIMB constitutes a significant component of The Gambia’s broader national resilience strategy and aligns with the country’s National Climate Change Policy and its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 49.7 percent by 2030.
He said the initiative would also complement ongoing national and regional climate interventions, including the World Bank’s West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme and the Great Green Wall Initiative.
The project will be implemented by the National Environment Agency (NEA) in close collaboration with UNEP, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, local government authorities, civil society organisations and the private sector.
The Vice President underscored that the broad partnership behind CLIMB demonstrates the importance of collective action in addressing a challenge that transcends institutional and geographical boundaries.
VP Jallow Calls for Collective Ownership
While reaffirming Government’s commitment to climate resilience, Vice President Jallow cautioned that government action alone would not be sufficient to confront the scale of the climate challenge.
He therefore called on ministries, local authorities, development partners, civil society, the private sector and citizens to embrace the CLIMB Project as a shared national responsibility.
“This project is a challenge for all of us; it is either we do it and raise the bar, or we miss the opportunity,” he stated.
He urged stakeholders to approach the implementation of the initiative not merely as an administrative exercise, but as a commitment to present and future generations.
The Vice President further stressed the importance of ensuring that interventions are tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities of individual communities.
He argued that empowering local communities and incorporating their voices into adaptation strategies would help guarantee that climate interventions are both effective and sustainable.
A Beacon of Hope for a Resilient Gambia
Concluding his address, Vice President Jallow described the CLIMB Project as “a beacon of hope” in The Gambia’s efforts to confront climate change.
He said the initiative demonstrates the Government’s determination to advance climate action, strengthen resilience, promote sustainable development and reduce the country’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
He further noted that the scale and ambition of the project have the potential to position The Gambia as a continental leader in innovative urban climate resilience.
The Vice President expressed appreciation to the Global Environment Facility for its funding and to UNEP for its support and guidance in bringing the initiative to the implementation stage.
He called on all stakeholders to seize the opportunity presented by CLIMB to build a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous Gambia.
“With collective resolve and unwavering commitment, we can and will overcome the challenges posed by climate change for a better Gambia and the world over,” Vice President Jallow affirmed.
The launch of the CLIMB Project therefore marks a significant step in The Gambia’s efforts to transform Greater Banjul into an urban area better equipped to withstand flooding, rising sea levels, ecosystem degradation and other climate-related shocks, while protecting livelihoods and safeguarding the future of generations to come.