PB 273 GCCA+ Sack portuguese PROOF-1.pdf

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) advocates for the scaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the marine and coastal environments of Southern Africa. It highlights the vulnerability of SADC coastal communities to climate risks and identifies key barriers to EbA implementation, including policy silos, funding gaps, and lack of community inclusion. The document proposes the creation of a regional community of practice and a coordinated SADC strategy to enhance climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.

• Coastal and island countries in Southern Africa are highly vulnerable to climate risks such as cyclones, flooding, and sea-level rise, a situation worsened by poverty, inequality, and political instability. Between 2021 and 2022, six cyclones hit the SADC region, affecting more than 2.5 million people.
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is presented as a cost-effective alternative or complement to traditional 'grey' engineering solutions. For example, in Tanzania, a 2,400m concrete seawall was combined with the restoration of 1,000 hectares of mangroves and 2,000 square meters of coral reefs.
• Many SADC coastal communities rely heavily on marine biodiversity for food security and livelihoods. In Mozambique, over 450,000 people depend on the fisheries sector, with artisanal fishing accounting for about 90% of annual fish production. In Madagascar, the fisheries and aquaculture sector supports over 1.5 million people and represents approximately 20% of animal protein consumption.
• While six of the ten SADC coastal and island countries mention EbA or Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), most do not specify clear objectives for the coastal zone. The document recommends that SADC member states integrate robust, time-specific EbA objectives into their 2025 NDC review process.
• Innovative financing models for EbA have been implemented in the region, including the Seychelles Blue Bond and Debt-for-Nature Swaps, payments for ecosystem services in certain coastal zones, and the sale of blue carbon credits through mangrove restoration in Madagascar.
• To improve regional coordination, SAIIA established a SADC regional community of practice for marine and coastal EbA under the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) program. This platform aims to include policymakers, universities, NGOs, the private sector, and representatives of women and youth to ensure the needs of vulnerable people are prioritized.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). PB 273 GCCA+ Sack portuguese PROOF-1.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-273-GCCA-Sack-PT.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. PB 273 GCCA+ Sack portuguese PROOF-1.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-273-GCCA-Sack-PT.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=PB 273 GCCA+ Sack portuguese PROOF-1.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-273-GCCA-Sack-PT.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsnd273, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{PB 273 GCCA+ Sack portuguese PROOF-1.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-273-GCCA-Sack-PT.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }