The ECOWAS Commission, conscious of the delicate balance between the environment and development, has taken measures to promote the sustainable use and management of the region's natural resources as well as the avoidance and appropriate management of pollution. Through the Directorate of Environment and Natural Resources, the ECOWAS Commission uses the ECOWAS Environmental Policy (ECOWEP) amongst several instruments in guiding its efforts to manage the environment sustainably in the West African region.
ECOWAS Environment Policy
As part of its objectives, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) offers “to promote cooperation and integration with a view to creating a West African Economic Union in order to raise the standard of living of its people, maintain and increase economic stability, strengthen relationships among Member States and contribute to the progress and development of the continent”. Amongst the intermediary objectives essential for the attainment of the above objectives, the ECOWAS Treaty recognises the necessity for “the harmonisation and coordination of national policies, and promotion of programmes, projects and activities in the area of agriculture and natural resources…”.
Natural resources play a major role in the economies of ECOWAS member states. Natural resources such as forests, wildlife, pastures, water, and agricultural lands are the main sources of income for people. While the territory’s population is growing at an average annual rate of 2.7% and its economy is growing at a pace of 6%, the region as a whole is developing its human setups, especially its urban systems, quite quickly. It gives more recognition to the harmonisation and coordination of policies on environmental protection. This is the basis and justification of the duty of the ECOWAS Highest Authorities to promulgate an Environmental policy for the Community.
ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy
The goal of the ECOWAS Regional Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) is to guarantee that more renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, small-scale hydropower, and bioenergy—are used to deliver grid electricity and to give rural communities access to energy services.
The vision of the EREP is to secure an increasing and comprehensive share of the Member States’ energy supplies and services from timely, reliable, sufficient, least cost and affordable uses of renewable energy sources enabling:
- Universal access to electricity by 2030
- A more sustainable and safe provision of domestic energy services for cooking thus achieving the objectives of the White Paper for access to modern energy services by 2020.
ECOWAS Environment Action Plan (2020-2026)
In the ECOWAS region, there is a significant relationship between development and the environment. Rich natural resources, such as land, water, and a diverse range of plants and animals, are being rapidly depleted due to population growth and climate change. The ECOWAS region experienced a very high deforestation rate between 2010 and 2020 estimated at 4.1 million through agricultural expansion and increased exploitation for forest products. The rapid population growth is increasing economic activities and urbanization which generate pollution and nuisances including atmospheric concentration of Greenhouse Gas.
Conscious of the delicate balance between development and the environment, the ECOWAS Commission developed the ECOWAS Environmental Policy (ECOWEP) in 2008 to encourage the sustainable use and management of the region’s natural resources as well as the avoidance and proper management of pollution. However, implementation of the ECOWEP is designed to be incremental and through Action Plans prepared collaboratively and in consultation with the Member States and regional organizations that work primarily on the Environment and Climate Change.
