Enhancing Climate Information Systems for Resilient Development in Sierra Leone under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program

The project aims to modernize Sierra Leone's hydrometeorological infrastructure and institutional capacity to reduce losses from climate-related disasters. It proposes a $11.3 million investment to establish automated decision management systems, rehabilitate observation networks with at least 50 new stations, and implement forecast-based financing (FbF). The initiative targets 7.9 million people, focusing on vulnerable populations and women, to improve disaster risk knowledge and response capabilities across the country, particularly in the Freetown peninsula.

• Sierra Leone faces significant climate vulnerabilities, ranking 158 out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, with 13% of its land area and over 35% of the population at risk from multiple hazards.
• Historical climate data shows a general increasing trend in both minimum and maximum temperatures across the country, with the fastest warming observed in extreme northern regions at a rate exceeding 0.35 °C/decade.
• The Freetown peninsula is highly susceptible to flooding and landslides; annual average losses from flood damage are estimated at US$ 2.5 million, and a 2017 landslide event caused over US$ 30 million in economic impact.
• The country's climate monitoring infrastructure was largely destroyed during the civil war (1991–2002), leaving a critical gap in real-time data for flood warnings and risk assessment.
• The project identifies four primary barriers to adaptation: inadequate institutional capacity for climate-responsive planning, insufficient adaptation financing due to high national indebtedness, a lack of regulatory frameworks for data sharing, and a shortage of hydromet stations in the Freetown area.
• The proposed intervention includes the expansion of the meteorological and hydrological services network by at least 50 new stations and the establishment of a national Multi-Hazard Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning System (MH-IBF-EWS).
• The project will introduce a forecast-based financing (FbF) mechanism to enable early actions at community and government levels before climate-related disasters occur.
• The total indicative cost for the climate information sub-program is $11.3 million, with $10 million requested from the GCF as grants and $1.3 million in co-financing.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2022). Enhancing Climate Information Systems for Resilient Development in Sierra Leone under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/27670-enhancing-climate-information-systems-resilient-development-sierra-leone-under-freetown-wash.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Enhancing Climate Information Systems for Resilient Development in Sierra Leone under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program. 2022. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/27670-enhancing-climate-information-systems-resilient-development-sierra-leone-under-freetown-wash.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Enhancing Climate Information Systems for Resilient Development in Sierra Leone under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program |date=29 April 2022 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/27670-enhancing-climate-information-systems-resilient-development-sierra-leone-under-freetown-wash.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2022enhancing, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Enhancing Climate Information Systems for Resilient Development in Sierra Leone under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/27670-enhancing-climate-information-systems-resilient-development-sierra-leone-under-freetown-wash.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }