Socio-economic vulnerability and effective institutions for adaptation to compounding climate hazards in Africa

Abstract

Africa is facing more frequent and damaging climate hazards whose effects often interact across sectors, places, and time. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from 2023 to 2025 on socio-economic vulnerability and institutional responses to compounding climate hazards in Africa. It shows that poverty, inequality, gendered disadvantage, and uneven access to basic and productive services intensify losses when hazards overlap. The review examines recent evidence on adaptation governance, policy frameworks, adaptation finance, early warning systems, and locally led responses. The evidence points to three persistent weaknesses, namely; weak integration of compound risk into policy design, underfinancing of adaptation in vulnerable settings, and limited recognition of informal and community-based institutions. The review concludes that stronger multi-level governance, better targeted finance, and deeper engagement with local capabilities are essential for effective adaptation to interacting climate risks in Africa.