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also identifies electricity as an important factor to reduce the proportion of discouraged

people in the economy.

A policy outcome implication of Figure 13 above is that, without addressing these

two constraints, the private sector in the country will struggle to develop. This will, in

turn, constrain employment creation effectively torpedoing the attainment of SDG8: “to

promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive

employment, and decent work for all.” That failure would hamper progress toward other

goals, from SDG1 (“end poverty in all its forms everywhere”) to SDG16 (“promote

peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for

all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels”).

Above all else, climate change and environmental are real and need urgent mitigation
10

(For more, please see the Economic Transformation Annex) Although The Gambia’s

contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is negligible compared to the rest of the world,

the Gambia is experiencing a far greater impact of climate change than other countries. For

example and as Figure 14 below shows, between 1965 and 2018 surface temperatures have

risen almost 19 years faster than they have in the rest of Africa. Erratic rainfall, increased

temperatures and rising tides all have devastating effect to the Gambia’s economy and well-

being of its citizens. Environmental degradation such as reduced soil fertility, reduction in

wildlife diversity and weakened resilience to weather phenomena can all be attributed to

changing weather patterns and the reduction in biodiversity cover across the Gambia.

10 The Gambia CCA task force team invites you to take an interactive view of changes in surface temperature
rises between 1965 and 2018 in The Gambia and Africa:
https://public.tableau.com/profile/george.lwanda#!/vizhome/Gambiachangeinsurfacetemperature1965to201
8/GambiaClimatechange
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