Strengthening the Health Resilience of Communities Vulnerable to Climate Change in Benin’s ABD (Adjohoun, Bonou and Dangbo) Zone

Green Climate Fund Projects

Gender assessment for SAP055: Strengthening the Health Resilience of Communities Vulnerable to Climate Change in Benin’s ABD (Adjohoun, Bonou and Dangbo) Zone

Gender action plan for SAP055: Strengthening the Health Resilience of Communities Vulnerable to Climate Change in Benin’s ABD (Adjohoun, Bonou and Dangbo) Zone

Project Approved

Under Implementation

The Adjohoun, Bonou and Dangbo (ABD) health zone in the lower Ouémé valley of south-eastern Benin is highly vulnerable to seasonal and extreme flooding, rising temperatures and humidity. They lead to multiple climate-related health impacts, most notably vector-borne diseases such as malaria, and non-communicable conditions including acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Flood events exacerbate challenges by damaging health infrastructure and equipment, disrupting essential health services, and restricting access for vulnerable populations. Women, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly are among the groups most at risk.

Benin’s health sector is underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with how climate change affects people’s health. The country’s public resources are stretched thin, and there is limited flexibility to invest in building a climate-resilient health sector. Additional barriers include the lack of knowledge and awareness of climate-health linkages, limited health technologies, infrastructure, and early warning systems, reduced access of populations to health facilities in climatic events, and limited participation of vulnerable groups in decision-making processes.

The project seeks to address climate-sensitive health risks by strengthening the resilience of public health systems and vulnerable communities. This will be pursued through the integration of climate information into disease surveillance systems to improve health early warning systems; enhancing the operational capacities of health personnel to manage emergencies during extreme weather events; climate-proofing health infrastructure and providing essential equipment; supporting climate-resilient community livelihoods; and raising local awareness.

The project’s comprehensive, community-based model aims to address the critical nexus of climate change and health. Its multi-pronged design targets high-risk groups while strengthening local capacities and systems, positioning the project as an innovative model for Locally Led Adaptation.

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

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Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

Financial actors and resources that are primarily directed towards climate change mitigation, adaptation and compensation.

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In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

Households employing domestic workers, for activities like cooking, cleaning and subsistence farming, for their own use.

Actions or measures to adapt terrestrial systems to climate change.

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Activities involving the catching, processing, and selling of fish for food, recreation, and industry.

This sector provides medical services, manufactures medical equipment, and develops pharmaceuticals to maintain and improve health.

Activities of businesses and institutions that provide financial services and products to individuals and organisations.

Actions to adapt human health, healthcare systems and well-being to climate change.

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Work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for all, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity.

Financial support to help individuals manage the effects of unexpected events, securing their livelihoods and increasing the resilience of people and businesses to the changing climate. It’s especially vital in developing regions where everyday risks, climate-related weather extremes, or crop failures can push people into poverty. Without insurance, people may have to resort to selling assets or cutting consumption to cope with losses.

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People who are less able to respond to the effects of climate change due to having limited financial or physical assets

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Conditions that enhance the feasibility of adaptation options. Enabling conditions include finance, technological innovation, strengthening policy instruments, institutional capacity, multi-level governance and changes in human behaviour and lifestyles.

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This sector provides communication services, software development, and IT solutions.

woman and genders outside of the gender binary

People whose health, both mental and physical, makes them more vulnerable to the effects of climate change

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This sector involves the wholesale and retail selling of goods.

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Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Social protection systems consist of policies that help people manage social risks in order to prevent poverty and maintain decent incomes and living standards

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Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

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Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

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Strengthening the Health Resilience of Communities Vulnerable to Climate Change in Benin’s ABD (Adjohoun, Bonou and Dangbo) Zone

Adaptation Fund

Climate Investment Funds

Green Climate Fund

Global Environment Facility