A Regional Assessment of Marine and Coastal EbA in SADC

The report evaluates the implementation of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) across SADC member states, highlighting the critical role of ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs in protecting vulnerable coastal populations. It identifies a significant gap between the potential of EbA and its integration into national climate policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While showcasing successful regional examples—such as Madagascar's community-led mangrove projects and Seychelles' innovative blue bonds—the document notes systemic challenges including overlapping ministerial mandates, limited local government capacity, and a lack of bankable project proposals for international climate finance. It recommends mainstreaming EbA into 2025 NDC revisions and strengthening regional cooperation to scale up nature-based solutions.

• Marine and coastal EbA is significantly underrepresented in national and regional climate strategies in Southern Africa, often due to a lack of capacity, knowledge, and coordination between environment and oceans ministries.
• Coastal ecosystems provide essential natural buffers against climate shocks; for instance, mangroves protect against tropical storms and can store up to five times more organic carbon than tropical upland forests.
• South Africa is the only SADC country with a standalone EbA policy, the Strategic Framework and Overarching Implementation Plan for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (2016–2021), which has facilitated the identification of 54 priority municipalities for intervention.
• Innovative financing is critical as traditional climate finance is often inaccessible; Seychelles has led the region by implementing the first debt-for-nature swap and launching a sovereign blue bond in 2018.
• Community-led management models, such as the MIHARI network of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in Madagascar, demonstrate that transferring management rights to local communities can effectively conserve biodiversity while providing economic benefits.
• A major barrier to scaling EbA in Africa is the inability to develop 'bankable' project proposals, which prevents countries from accessing multilateral funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• Institutional inefficiencies, specifically overlapping mandates between different government departments, hinder the ownership and implementation of coastal EbA projects in countries like Tanzania and Mozambique.
• Hybrid 'green-grey' solutions, which combine nature-based restoration with engineered infrastructure, are presented as effective alternatives to purely man-made defences, which are often incorrectly perceived as offering superior protection.

APA

SACK, H. (2023). A Regional Assessment of Marine and Coastal EbA in SADC. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SR-CNRP-GccA_RegionalAssessmentEbA.pdf

Chicago

SACK, HANNAH. A Regional Assessment of Marine and Coastal EbA in SADC. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2023. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SR-CNRP-GccA_RegionalAssessmentEbA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=SACK |first1=HANNAH |title=A Regional Assessment of Marine and Coastal EbA in SADC |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SR-CNRP-GccA_RegionalAssessmentEbA.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sack2023regional, author = {SACK, HANNAH}, title = {{A Regional Assessment of Marine and Coastal EbA in SADC}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SR-CNRP-GccA_RegionalAssessmentEbA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }