Analysis of Shoreline and Erosion Changes along the West African Coast from 1980 to 2020

Abstract

The manifestations of climate change in coastal areas may represent a serious threat to livelihoods and lives. In West Africa, where many capital cities are located with a high concentration of people, shoreline changes have been studied in some port cities and beaches. This study investigates the changes along the coastline of West Africa from 1980 to 2020 at a regional scale including twelve countries. Spatial technique, remote sensing and GIS were employed in the assessment and analysis and monitoring of the shoreline changes from Mauritania to Nigeria. The findings revealed noticeable decadal changes with the most significant change evident from 1980 to 1990. The study further indicates that the coasts of Senegal and Guinea and Guinea Bissau experienced significant shift in the shoreline as it moved landward from 1980 to 1990. The results of the geospatial analysis indicates that erosion and accretion trends were dominated by loss of coastal land totaling 17372.45 km2 from 1980 to 1990 with erosion rates higher than areas gained through accretion. The difference between erosion and accretion rates between 1980-1990 period is 15,769.8 km2 with erosion rates on the increase. Study has provided to demonstrate decadal changes of coastal erosion and shoreline changes that characterize the West Africa coast from 1980-2020 highlighting its vulnerability. The study recommends concerted effort by relevant authorities in the region in mitigating against the adverse the consequences of sea level rise at a regional scale.