Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change &

Sustainable DevelopmentA small Island Perspective

Dr Rolph PayetSpecial Advisor to the PresidentSeychelles, November 2007

Presentation Summary• Adaptation• Government Awareness• Climate Data and Trends• Capacity building and Knowledge Management• Economic Planning & Factoring• Climate Risk Assessment & Management• Infrastructure Development• Climate Proofing• Sea Level Rise Foundation

Adaptation

Mainstreaming ?

• Adaptation Mainstreaming is the integration of climate change issues/adaptation in national (and regional) decision making processes (planning, budgeting etc.)

• Can be top-down or bottom-up• Can be sectoral or cross-sectoral

Mainstreaming from top-down:• Government Awareness• Research and Development• National Policies/Planning• Economic Policies

Mainstreaming from bottom-up:• Community-based action/local input• Technology applications and entrepreneurs• Risk identification and management• Input into Government Policies/Planning

Modes

Key Links to existing processes• Seychelles Development Strategy 2017• Environment Management Plan 2000-2010 ( our

SD blueprint)• Development and Land Use Planning• District-level Management Plans• Disaster Risk Management Strategy

• Mauritius Strategy• Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan• National Capacity Self-Assessment• Education and Human Recourse Strategy• Millennium Development Goals

Experience of Seychelles

What we’ve doneChallenges

Opportunities

Government Awareness• Political Attention given to National Sustainable

Development Strategies – highest office, bias• Sensitization of Policy-makers – scientific vs. public

opinion• Policies and guidelines – home-grown/re-inventing

the wheel• Implementation and Enforcement – M&E, C&C• Dialogue with Private Sector – representation on

policy bodies, input into policies, innovative opportunities

• Local government influence – grassroots influence, overwhelmed with primary response

Cycle of adaptationNature’s equilibrium

Climate event Human event

Human response

With/Without adaptation/management

Climate Data and Trends• IPCC Outcomes – relevance to policy• Regional scenarios – appropriateness to small

islands• National Assessments – data needs• Climate Variability and climate change –

relevance to policy• Extreme events and climate change – policy

windows• Return periods and climate change – cost-

effectiveness of climate proofing• Ecosystem responses, resilience and recovery –

ecological adaptation

Capacity building and Knowledge Management

• Expertise – Climate, Assessments, Planning • Management – ICZM, IWRM, EIA, SEA• Education – Curriculum integration, Innovation,

School Clubs• Community empowerment – Media, Action,

Responsible behavior• Technology application – prototypes, promotion,

reducing barriers, service & support• Research and development – University, specialized

institutes• Sharing and exchange – Knowledge-bases, networks

of experts, access to resources

Economic Planning• The adaptation factor of production !! – the

profound change that adaptation will have on economic growth/performance

• Integration of adaptation factors in development goals – MDGs

• Financing adaptation – Global Adaptation Fund, CDM, Carbon Taxes

• Public financing mechanisms – budgeting integration

• Private sector financing mechanisms –inclusive part of investment models/plans; profits for adaptation

Infrastructure Development• ROI – relevance to adaptation ( a long-

term investment)• Design considerations – energy

conservation + climate proofing• Engineering considerations – capacity,

return periods, unit cost • Additional costs – risk assessment,

insurance, long-term vs short-terminism

Alternative development pathwaysagainst

Sustainability CriteriaPayet, PhD Thesis

Sea Level Rise FoundationWhy – another Foundation ??• Sea level rise leads to very complex interactions and impacts• No international focus on sea level rise issues• Significant opportunities for exchange and use of existing resources

and knowledge• No tools for adequately mainstreaming adaptation to SLR, and its

links to sustainable development

Features• Launched in September 2007 in Rome by President Michel as a

mechanism for mainstreaming adaptation to sea-level rise• Home-grown from a small island state, representing the voice and

issues of small islands and low-lying coastal areas• A Platform of Excellence on Climate Change• Local Chapters to target grass-roots

www.sealevel-rise.org

Role of SLRF• Build a grass-roots but global platform of excellence

on sea level rise• Increase resilience and reduce risk to sea level rise• It will bring together countries, scientists, policy-

makers, and other stakeholders to share ideas, technologies and know-how;

• It will provide a platform for public-private partnerships

• mainstream adaptation and sea-level rise proofing to government and other stakeholders (e.g. developers alike);

• It will raise and optimise use of the financial and technical resources required to engage all nations in avoiding the first climate refugees, those living on islands and in low-lying areas.

Thank you

Questions ???