Benin, located in West Africa along the Guinea Coast, has mostly flat terrain that features two major river basins, the Niger and the coastal basin (World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal). The country experiences two main climates: a sub-equatorial climate in the south and a tropical continental climate in the north. Key climate risks include drought, flooding, heavy rains, high winds, extreme heat, and sea-level rise. Over the past three decades, these hazards have reduced agricultural yields, disrupted farming calendars, lowered dam water levels, prolonged dry seasons, and caused riverbank submersion (Benin’s NDCs 2015). 

Future impacts may include coastal flooding, saltwater intrusion, declining maize yields, and shifts in flooding patterns in the Niger basin (Benin’s NDC’s 2015). Climate change is likely to worsen existing challenges, particularly in agriculture and health. With 70percent of the workforce dependent on agriculture, Benin’s undiversified economy is highly vulnerable. Poverty affects 35percent of the population, compounded by limited access to basic services such as healthcare, education, and sanitation (World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal).