Bermudian-based Axa XL is providing a grant of $1.2 million to Save the Children for a five-year initiative to mitigate the impact of climate change across coastal ecosystems in Sierra Leone.

The company said the Sierra Leone Coastal Resilience Project, one of the largest ever to tackle climate resilience in the country, would empower coastal communities to plan for climate change and improve their livelihoods.

It aims to reach 260,000 people directly, with a further one million people expected to benefit.

Axa XL said Sierra Leone had one of the lowest CO2 emissions per capita in the world yet was one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Its coastal areas are highly susceptible, already experiencing rising seas and more extreme weather events.

The community-led initiative will increase people’s food and water security, support education and local enterprise and enhance the conservation and restoration of 1,500 hectares of mangrove ecosystems, which are vital for mitigating climate change.

Axa XL’s global head of sustainability, Suzanne Scatliffe, said: “Responding to the risks of climate change requires going beyond technical innovation alone – we need societal-led change. Through this multi-stakeholder partnership, we are supporting climate-vulnerable communities boost resilience.”

The initiative is in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, the world’s largest climate fund, aiming to accelerate transformative climate action in developing countries.

The fund is providing a cornerstone grant of $25 million, which is complemented by co-financing from Axa XL and other partners, including the Government of Sierra Leone’s Environment Protection Agency, Clifford Chance, Jersey Overseas Aid and the Government of Iceland.