Renforcement de l’adaptation fondée sur les écosystèmes marins et côtiers en Afrique australe

The document argues that coastal and island nations in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are highly vulnerable to climate risks, such as cyclones and sea-level rise, and should adopt ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) as a cost-effective alternative to traditional engineering. While some progress exists, implementation is hindered by fragmented governance, lack of technical capacity, insufficient funding, and the exclusion of local communities. The brief recommends integrating specific EbA targets into 2025 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), aligning cross-sectoral policies, and utilizing a newly established regional community of practice to share best practices and coordinate a regional EbA strategy.

• Coastal and island communities in the SADC region face high exposure to climate hazards, exemplified by six cyclones between 2021 and 2022 that affected over 2.5 million people.
• Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is presented as a more cost-effective alternative to 'grey' engineering solutions like seawalls, though it can be combined with them in hybrid models, such as a project in Tanzania that paired a 2,400m concrete wall with the restoration of 1,000 hectares of mangroves and 2,000 square meters of coral reef.
• Implementation of EbA is obstructed by 'siloed' government structures, where climate units in environment ministries often operate independently from fisheries or blue economy ministries, and a disconnect exists between national and local/provincial governments.
• Financial constraints are significant, as the lack of clear EbA targets in NDCs hinders the ability to attract donor funding, and some countries lose eligibility for concessional financing as their economic status improves.
• Successful innovative financing models for EbA in the region include Seychelles' debt-for-nature swaps and Blue Bonds, as well as the sale of blue carbon credits from mangrove restoration in Madagascar.
• The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has established a regional community of practice for marine and coastal EbA to facilitate knowledge sharing and inclusive policy design among policymakers, NGOs, the private sector, and vulnerable groups.

APA

SACK, H. (2023). Renforcement de l’adaptation fondée sur les écosystèmes marins et côtiers en Afrique australe. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-275-GCCA-Sack-French.pdf

Chicago

SACK, HANNAH. Renforcement de l’adaptation fondée sur les écosystèmes marins et côtiers en Afrique australe. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2023. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-275-GCCA-Sack-French.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=SACK |first1=HANNAH |title=Renforcement de l’adaptation fondée sur les écosystèmes marins et côtiers en Afrique australe |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-275-GCCA-Sack-French.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sack2023renforcement, author = {SACK, HANNAH}, title = {{Renforcement de l’adaptation fondée sur les écosystèmes marins et côtiers en Afrique australe}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PB-275-GCCA-Sack-French.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }