ICLEI Africa showcases local governments vulnerable to climate change at the WIOMSA (West Indian Ocean Marine Science Association) conference in Mauritius
2011/04/20
The ICLEI Africa Climate Change Adaptation team attended and showcased their Five City Adaptation Network Project at the conference entitled The impact of climate change, adaptation and mitigation in the Western Indian Ocean region: Solutions to the crisis. The three day conference was hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel in Balaclava, Mauritius, from 21 - 23 March 2011. The aim was to enable the participating countries – all from the West Indian Ocean (WIO) region – to develop strategies for the reduction of climate change impacts within vulnerable communities and natural ecosystems.
Jointly organised by the Oceanographic Institute of Mauritius, the Western Indian Ocean Science Marine Association and the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), this conference brought together about 200 professionals working on climate change-related problems. Following this exchange of experience and information, the participants were called upon to propose a regional plan for island states to adapt to climate change.
In the opening discussions of the conference, the Mauritius Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr Deva Virahsawmy, stated that the western Indian Ocean was the region most affected by climate change, and yet it had hardly contributed to emissions of greenhouse gasses. He mentioned that the growing population pressures, together with climate change impacts, are likely to cause severe damage to the coastal and marine ecosystems of such countries. Mr Virahsawmy also said that climate change could compromise economic development and the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals.
Lucinda Fairhurst, ICLEI Africa’s Adaptation Coordinator had the opportunity during the Governance parallel session to present on the research undertaken by the ICLEI Africa Five City Adaptation Network Project of which 4 participating cities are located within the WIO region. The presentation demonstrated case studies of how the local governments and communities are currently experiencing the impacts of climate change and how the research process will facilitate the local communities in prioritising the climatic risks and identify locally appropriate adaptation options to increase and strengthen their resilience towards climate variability and extreme events.
The statement called by the conference, which made reference to the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), reiterated the affect of the increased impacts as a direct result of increased greenhouse gas emissions that will continue to grow substantially between now and 2030, which is projected to lead to increased temperatures of up to 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Therefore, serious interventions are required and immediate action is necessary to create awareness and implement action at the local level to reduce the climatic impacts upon the coastal region of the Western Indian Ocean inhabitants. The final conference statement can be downloaded at the WIOMSA website.
The ICLEI Africa Climate Change Adaptation team prolonged their stay in Mauritius from 24 March – 1 April 2011 to convene Consultative Participatory Action Research Workshops as part of ICLEI Africa’s Five City Adaptation Network Project with the Municipal Council of Port Louis and surrounding communities within the Port Louis jurisdiction. A brief article on the workshop activities can be read here »
