The 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report concluded that humans are responsible for the measured global warming, which is causing the ice caps to melt, the oceans to warm hence affecting the climate around the planet. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are especially vulnerable to climate change and the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report concludes with a very high level of confidence that SIDS will be affected by global sea level rise, which would increase coastal inundation, erosion and magnify the impact of storm surges and affect coastal agriculture. Climate change impact on coral reefs and fisheries, through warming of the ocean and ocean acidification are threats that would undermine food security and livelihood in SIDS. Changes in precipitation will also affect water resources availability, which would in turn affect biodiversity (including high-altitude islands) and other ecosystems dependent upon water. Climate change will also directly impact human health in SIDS as well as key economic sectors such as tourism and fisheries.
Seychelles is economically, culturally and environmentally vulnerable to the potential effects of climate change and associated extreme events. Vulnerability characteristics such as concentration of development on narrow coastal zones, non-resilient populations and ecosystems make the Seychelles extremely sensitive to climate change and its associated impacts. The impact of climate change on coastal livelihoods as a result of sea level rise, storm and tidal surges, extreme sea-surface temperatures, and coastal flooding will have serious consequences for livelihoods in the Seychelles. The effects of climate change on tourism in small islands are expected to be largely negative. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that changes in long-term rainfall patterns and temperature changes will also have adverse consequences for water, food and health. However, climate models for Seychelles, over the period 2010-2100, indicate that the rainy season is ‘more likely than not’ to be wetter, while the dry season is ‘more likely than not’ to be dryer.
The MEECC takes the issue of climate change extremely seriously. Over the last few years, the Ministry has implemented the following initiatives on climate change mitigation:
- Grid-connected rooftop PV, for more information click here
- PV democratization
- Promotion and up-scaling of climate-resilient, resource efficient technologies in a tropical island context
- Targeting 100% Renewable Energy Future in Seychelles
The Ministry is also implementing the following initiatives on climate change adaptation:
- Eco-system-based adaptation to climate change in Seychelles (adaptation Fund)
- Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) (EU)
- Ecosystem-based adaptation through South-South cooperation (GEF)
- EBA coastal adaptation (UNEP)
- Restoring Marine Ecosystem Services by Rehabilitating Coral Reefs to Meet a Changing Climate Future