Africa stands at a critical crossroads where climate change is not just an environmental challenge but a profound security imperative. Increasingly frequent droughts, floods, and water stress are fueling instability and conflict across the Sahel and Horn of Africa, with far-reaching consequences for regional and global peace. Adaptation is no longer a distant development goal—it is central to safeguarding stability, resilience, and security.

In 2025, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) built upon the success of the Pilot Youth Academy on Climate Adaptation and Leadership by hosting the Pan-African Youth Academy on Climate Adaptation and Leadership, a training-of-trainers program designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to replicate climate adaptation training in their home countries.

This Adaptation Insights builds on GCA technical assistance to integrate green and grey adaptation measures into large-scale infrastructure investment programs under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program. It further draws on advanced research conducted by the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, in partnership with GCA, on the application of spatial analytics and financial frameworks to scale nature-based solutions for transport infrastructure resilience globally (Scaling Investments for NbS: GCA portal). The observations presented reflect cumulative evidence and experience derived from collaboration with multilateral development banks and implementation partners engaged in mainstreaming climate adaptation within infrastructure planning and finance.