Introduction to Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a country in the coastal southwest region of West Africa. Its population is 8.6 million1 and it is 56% rural.2 Currently, 26.1% of its population lives on $2.15 per day,3 life expectancy is 60 years,4 and 57% of the population is food insecure.5 Sierra Leone’s climatology is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate with a rainy season between the months of May to November and a dry season between December and May. Agriculture is Sierra Leone’s main industry, comprising 65%6 of the labor force and 60% of GDP. Services account for 32% of the GDP and industry is 5% of GDP.7 Its main food crop is rice, a rain-fed crop that is largely grown by subsistence farmers8 and that accounts for 42% of the country’s caloric intake.9 Moreover, fish account for 75% of animal protein intake10 and fisheries account for 10% of GDP.6 Sierra Leone also has valuable mineral resources such as diamonds, bauxite, iron ore gold, cement, ilmenite, and rutile, which account for 15-18% of GDP and 90% of earnings from exports.11 Gaining independence from the UK in 1961, Sierra Leone has had a history of political conflict and civil wars within the last decade in particular. The last decade in particular has witnessed an increase in violence born of political competition and instability.12 Concurrently, Sierra Leone has a high external debt burden,which accounts for 57.8% of GDP. Due to its national circumstances of being a highly rural society, dependence on rain-fed subsistence agriculture, postcolonial history of political conflict, and high debt, Sierra Leone is especially vulnerable to the climate crisis.

Mapping Major Climate Events and Climate-Induced Displacement

Sierra Leone ranks 62 out of 191 countries in terms of overall climate vulnerability, 34 out of 191 countries based on lack of coping capacity.13 The intensity and impact of climate-related disasters have increased in the last two decades. Between 2008 to 2014, there were 2 disaster events reported that led to over 8,400 internally displaced people, and from 2015 to 2022, this number increased to 3 disaster events with 18,000 individuals displaced.14 Flooding has been Sierra Leone’s main climate-related disaster and has accounted for 85% of disaster-related mortality within the country.9 In 2015 it was recorded that rainfall and flooding led to the 2,630 individuals losing their property in the Bo District and 272 affected in the Pujehun District. Since aid response was delayed, there was also a high risk of epidemic outbreaks in the area of Acute Watery Diarrhea as a result of water sources that were contaminated.15 Later, In 2019, extreme rainfall led to floods connected with the displacement of 5,381 people.16 More recently in 2022, flash floods led to over 12,900 affected with the capital, Freetown, experiencing the brunt of this storm.17 Other than climate-related displacements, past political conflict and war has also exacerbated internal displacement, associated with displacement of more than 2 million people.18

Mapping the Costs of the Climate Crisis

Sierra Leone’s GDP is currently $4.09 billion USD. The country has already experienced economic loss as a result of the climate crisis.19 For example, in August of 2017, severe flooding and landslides not only caused thousands of deaths and outbreaks in water-borne disease, they also led to an economic loss of $31 million USD and recovery needs of $82 million USD.20 Its agricultural sector is also vulnerable to short term shocks including rain variability, bushfires, droughts, increasing temperatures, landslides, and floods. It is expected that these events will lead to impacts on crop yield, increase in pest and disease outbreaks, reduction in quality crops, and food insecurity.  While the impact on rice yields has been difficult to track, groundnut yields are expected to decline by 5-25% in many regions within the country by 2050. Under certain scenarios of low per capita income growth and high population growth, the country can expect a decrease in calories per capita through at least 2030 due the climate crisis, compared to the baseline scenario in 2000. Within its fisheries sector, it is estimated that fishery landings will decrease by 14-53% by 2050 compared to the 2000 baseline level.21 Although data on projected GDP impacts for Sierra Leone is limited,, within the regions of both West Africa and East Africa, broadly, GDP is expected to decrease by 15% by 2050.22

Mapping Resilience and Mitigation Pathways

Although Sierra Leone only accounts for 0.02% of the global share of emissions, it has taken steps to commit to a 25% reduction in emissions by 2050 as compared to the Business As Usual scenario.23 Conditionally, its main targets to accomplish these goals are to increase its electricity grid and energy efficiency by 42% by 2025, offgrid mini-grids by 27% by 2030, and solar stand-alone systems by 10% by 2030. Unconditionally, it has also committed to planting 5 million trees by 2025, implementing energy efficiency standards, improving sustainability of its waste management system, restoring mined areas, and improving its infrastructure. Significant progress has been made including 8,500 ha of forest trees planted, 1.1 million trees planted by 2021 through a presidential 5 year plan, and the implementation of a Voluntary Guideline overseeing responsible governing of land, fisheries, and forest with goals of improving food security.8  Sierra Leone has also taken steps to improve its Meteorological agencies and Early Warning Systems through the passage of Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Act of 2017 and Sierra Leone Meteorological Department upgraded to an official agency within 2017 as well.24 In June 2023, Sierra Leone also partnered with IOM to sign a Plan of Action addressing climate migration, environmental degradation, and disasters.25 The IOM is also piloting the Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Integrated Human Mobility Assessment Tool to assist with strengthening and assessing Sierra Leone’s capacity to support environmental migrants.26

Necessary Changes

Sierra Leone has taken steps to reduce its emission, improve its electricity grid, improve its carbon sequestration networks, create sustainability in its fisheries and agricultural sectors, and improve national support networks for eco-migration. However, many of its climate adaptation and mitigation goals are conditional to international support and Sierra Leone remains cash-strapped as most of its population remains in poverty and its government carries a high external debt burden. It is estimated that Sierra Leone will need $2.7 billion USD to accomplish its climate goals, highlighting the need for debt cancellation and unrestricted funding.8 On the national level, there is pressure for Sierra Leone to diversify and aid climate vulnerable sectors including rain-fed agriculture and fisheries through a sustained focus on the principles of agroecology. Action must also include the international community reducing pressures on the  extractive mining industry that has been associated with social injustices. For example, London-based African Minerals Limited forcibly relocated hundreds of families to arid regions in the Tonkolili District, losing their ability to engage in integral subsistence agriculture. The company has also been associated with violations of labor laws, denying workers the right to form unions of their choosing.27 In that way, internally, it's also necessary that Sierra Leone should deliver prompt aid to individuals who have experienced forced relocation due to significant land investments. Moreover, as this has been a recurring issue, Sierra Leone should establish long-term measures to address human rights injustices due to relocation, particularly in relation to securing access to food, water, and sustainable livelihoods. This also includes general labor rights reform to address the violations of labor laws as well as rights in response to foreign investment projects.28 In general, with adequate international support, a just transition involving a democratic economy, and necessary internal reform, Sierra Leone can make more progress in its efforts of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.