Strengthening marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the national climate responses of SADC’s coastal states

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs advocates for the upscaling of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It highlights the vulnerability of coastal and island states to climate risks and argues that integrating EbA into national policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can simultaneously address climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development.

• SADC member states are encouraged to incorporate specific, time-bound coastal and marine EbA targets into their 2025 NDC revision process to improve climate resilience.
• Coastal and island communities in Southern Africa face high exposure to climate hazards, including cyclones, floods, and sea-level rise, which is worsened by political instability, inequality, and poverty. Between 2021 and 2022, six cyclones impacted the SADC region, affecting more than 2.5 million people.
• EbA is presented as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to 'grey' engineered infrastructure. For example, Tanzania combined a 2,400m concrete seawall with the restoration of 2,000m² of coral reef and 1,000ha of mangrove habitat.
• Several barriers hinder the implementation of EbA in SADC, including a lack of policy integration, poor governance, insufficient funding, and the exclusion of local communities from planning processes. Specifically, climate units often operate in silos within environment ministries, separate from fisheries or blue economy ministries.
• Innovative financing models for EbA have been utilized in the region, such as the Blue Bond and Debt-for-Nature Swap in the Seychelles, and the sale of blue carbon credits from mangrove restoration in Madagascar.
• The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has established a SADC regional community of practice for marine and coastal EbA to facilitate knowledge sharing and inclusive policymaking among stakeholders, including academia, NGOs, and youth representatives.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2023). Strengthening marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the national climate responses of SADC’s coastal states. https://saiia.org.za/research/strengthening-marine-and-coastal-eba-in-southern-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Strengthening marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the national climate responses of SADC’s coastal states. 2023. https://saiia.org.za/research/strengthening-marine-and-coastal-eba-in-southern-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Strengthening marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the national climate responses of SADC’s coastal states |date=9 June 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/strengthening-marine-and-coastal-eba-in-southern-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2023strengthening, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Strengthening marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the national climate responses of SADC’s coastal states}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/strengthening-marine-and-coastal-eba-in-southern-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }