The World Bank’s Gabon Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), released today, emphasizes the urgent need for the Central African nation to bolster climate adaptation to safeguard its economy, natural wealth, and people’s livelihoods. The report highlights Gabon’s position as a global environmental leader and one of the world’s most forested countries, while underlining its vulnerability due to heavy reliance on oil revenues.
“Gabon stands at the forefront of climate leadership in Africa,” said Cheick F. Kanté, World Bank Division Director for Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. “The CCDR shows how the country can leverage its natural wealth to build a resilient, inclusive economy that protects forests, secures livelihoods, improves health, and creates opportunities for future generations. Strong policies and partnerships can turn Gabon’s climate ambitions into lasting prosperity.”
Despite absorbing more carbon than it emits, Gabon faces risks from rising temperatures, variable rainfall, and increasing flood and coastal erosion hazards, particularly in urban and coastal areas where most of the population and infrastructure are concentrated. These climate threats could exacerbate fiscal pressures and undermine key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and jobs. Without effective adaptation, the report estimates Gabon’s GDP could shrink by 3.5 to 5.3% by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario, while even under a reform-driven growth path, losses could reach 3.1 to 4.8%. Severe climate scenarios could also push up the poverty rate by nearly two percentage points by 2050.
The CCDR identifies three priority areas for action to enhance resilience: upgrading infrastructure and the built environment by improving energy access, water management, and climate-integrated urban planning; enhancing natural capital through sustainable forestry, climate-smart agriculture, and biodiversity conservation; and investing in human capital by strengthening health systems, climate-resilient education infrastructure, and adaptive social protection programs.
“Adaptation is not a cost but an investment in Gabon’s future,” said Aissatou Diallo, World Bank Resident Representative for Gabon. “By combining sound fiscal management with policies that empower people and protect natural assets, Gabon can turn climate resilience into a driver of competitiveness, inclusion, and long-term growth.”
The report underscores that economic growth alone cannot shield Gabon from climate impacts and that proactive adaptation measures are essential to secure a sustainable and prosperous future.
