Climate change is not just an environmental threat; it is a deep crisis of (in)justice and security that is destabilizing West Africa and the Sahel. This is the conclusion of a new landmark study published by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and the Justice and Corrections Service (JCS) Operational Support Unit of the United Nations Office for Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI).

Described by the UN Secretary-General as "the defining issue of our time", the climate crisis is exacerbating structural vulnerabilities in a region already struggling with state fragility.

A striking correlation between climate, security and the rule of law

The study, launched in 2024, establishes an impressive correlation between the rule of law, climate and security. By cross-referencing data from global indices such as the Rule of Law Index and the Fragile States Index, the study reveals that low levels of respect for the rule of law go hand in hand with high climate vulnerability and a precarious security situation in some of the West African countries covered by the study.

Climate change acts as a powerful threat amplifier, exacerbating resource shortages, population displacement, migration and cross-border crime. These pressures weigh heavily on judicial and prison institutions, which are often already fragile.

A crisis of (in)justice that hits the most vulnerable

The study highlights that the climate crisis is fundamentally unfair. Its effects disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations: women, youth, smallholder farmers, migrants and people in detention. Those who have contributed the least to global carbon emissions are suffering the most devastating consequences, reinforcing pre-existing structural inequalities.

Worryingly, the study also reveals that many national climate adaptation plans (NAPs) largely ignore the impact on justice systems and the rule of law. This gap creates a risk of "maladaptation," where poorly designed policies could unintentionally exacerbate injustices and vulnerabilities.

The rule of law, a strategic tool for resilience

Far from simply making an alarming finding, the study proposes a way forward: the rule of law must be used as a strategic and fundamental entry point to build climate resilience and reduce insecurity.

The rule of law offers powerful tools to address these risks, including through actions to increase broad awareness of the impact of climate change on legal and judicial frameworks, institutions and processes and on the individual and collective human rights of communities, strengthening existing legal frameworks and improving them to better respond to environmental and climate challenges,  the legal empowerment of local communities, inclusive and participatory governance of natural resources, capacity building of communities and relevant state and non-state actors, and the use of accountability mechanisms such as climate lawsuits in order to strengthen the justiciability of climate rights and gradually spread to the table. The integration of climate considerations into the justice sector is considered essential for institutional readiness.

Call for swift and integrated action

Based on this study, UNOWAS and OROLSI are urgently appealing to governments and regional partners to adopt integrated approaches.

Key recommendations include the systematic integration of the rule of law and justice into all climate adaptation strategies, the conduct of human rights-informed risk assessments, and the adaptation of legal frameworks to ensure effective, just, and sustainable climate governance.

Without swift action, the report warns, the status quo will only widen the climate justice gap and miss critical opportunities to strengthen the region's security and resilience in the face of this existential threat.