2 September 2014
UNECA Highlights Blue Economy Potential of African SIDS
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The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) have released a report titled ‘Climate change in the African SIDS-the paradox of the small,' which highlights that the blue economy can help African small island developing States (SIDS) to achieve their development aims and tackle challenges related to economic and climate change vulnerability.

UNECA will launch the report during a side event to the Third International Conference on SIDS.

UNECA28 August 2014: The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) have released a report, titled ‘Climate Change in the African SIDS: The Paradox of the Small.’ The report highlights that the blue economy can help African small island developing States (SIDS) to achieve their development aims and tackle challenges related to economic and climate change vulnerability. UNECA will launch the report during a side event to the Third International Conference on SIDS.

There are six African SIDS: Cape Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, São Tomé and Principe, and Seychelles. According to UNECA, the small number of African SIDS means that they have frequently been overlooked in the SIDS literature. The report aims to fill this gap by analyzing African SIDS’ vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change, as well as discussing the potential and constraints of the blue economy in African SIDS.

The paper defines the “paradox of the small” as “the SIDS paying disproportionately for climate change compared to their small size,” given that SIDS’ combined annual carbon dioxide output is less than one percent of global emissions. African SIDS are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise compared to other country groups, according to UNECA.

The report highlights development pathways for the different blue economy pathways in African SIDS, noting that each sector’s development potential differs according to ecological, geographical and political circumstances. The report discusses five sectors: fisheries; aquaculture; shipping and transport; tourism; and energy. It also discusses efforts to build resilience in each of these sectors and potential ways to enhance these efforts.

The report recommends, inter alia: reducing pressure on aquatic resources by promoting sustainable coastal aquaculture; addressing adaptation, including in the shipping and transport sectors; promoting diving and maritime archeology to boost tourism; and exploring renewable energy options, including offshore wind energy and tidal energy. More broadly, the report recommends: developing institutional arrangements to facilitate the pursuit of mutual goals and sharing experiences and resources across the six African SIDS; and making technologies accessible, adaptable and affordable to the needs and circumstances of African SIDS.

The ACPC is an integral part of the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) programme, which is a joint initiative of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the African Development Bank (AfDB). [UNECA Press Release on Blue Economy and SIDS] [UNECA Press Release on Climate Change in African SIDS] [Clim-Dev Africa Press Release] [Launch Event Website] [IISD RS Coverage of the SIDS Conference] [ACPC Website] [ClimDev-Africa Website]


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