Applying Integrated Climate and Disaster Risk Assessment to Land Use Planning and Development Policy in Benin

Benin is increasingly exposed to climate-related and geophysical hazards whose frequency and intensity are amplified by climate change, rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation, and limited institutional capacity. This study presents an integrated assessment of the disaster risk landscape in Benin, with a particular focus on sectoral vulnerabilities and the role of urban and territorial planning in disaster risk reduction. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative policy analysis and quantitative spatial and statistical techniques. Data were collected from national strategic frameworks, including Benin’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy, National Adaptation Plan, National Action Plan for Sustainable Land Management (PAN-GDT 2018–2027), nationally determined contribution documents, spatial planning schemes, and post-disaster needs assessments. Spatial analysis of land use, infrastructure, and hazard exposure was integrated with statistical analysis of historical disaster data, climate trends, and socioeconomic indicators. Vulnerability, adaptive capacity, and institutional readiness were evaluated using the World Bank Climate and Disaster Risk Screening Tools based on an exposure-sensitivity-adaptive capacity framework. Results reveal a highly heterogeneous risk profile across the country. Southern coastal zones are predominantly exposed to flooding and coastal erosion; central plateau areas face recurrent bushfires and drought; while northern regions are characterised by severe drought and seasonal flooding along major river systems. Agriculture, energy, natural resource management/forestry, and water and sanitation emerge as the most vulnerable sectors, facing high levels of both current and future risk. Institutional assessments indicate disparities in preparedness, with relatively stronger capacities in agriculture and natural resource management, but gaps in awareness, adaptation implementation, and early warning infrastructure in other sectors. The study highlights the critical need to mainstream disaster risk reduction into urban and territorial planning, strengthen governance coordination, modernise meteorological and hydrological observation systems, and enhance community-centred resilience strategies. Integrating risk considerations into land use planning and sectoral policies is essential to reduce vulnerability and support sustainable development in Benin under increasing climate pressure. In addition, this work advances disaster risk research in Benin by integrating multiple dimensions hazard exposure, sectoral vulnerability, institutional capacity, and policy frameworks into a cohesive analysis. It offers actionable insights for policymakers, providing an evidence-based foundation to support integrated disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies at both national and local levels.