Interview with Rolph Payet, Special Advisor to the President of the Seychelles and Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by Olivia Pasini
Link: IUCN Pan-European Newsletter
The IPCC draws attention to climate change impacts facing islands, such as increased freshwater stress, rising sea levels, changing weather patterns and the spread of invasive alien species. How do you see small islands coping with these changes?
Islands have to integrate sustainability, development and climate adaptation issues at the policy and institutional levels. Above all, measures to strengthen capacity and management across all sectors should be put in place. Adaptation to climate change is imperative and immediate for most small island states, and resources therefore need to be made available to enable them to cope with change. Mitigation, on the other hand, presents an opportunity for many small islands to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, developing renewable energy platforms based on wind, the sun and the ocean. This significant window of opportunity should be supported by the international community.
What are the most pressing climate change challenges for the Seychelles?
Sea-level rise and extreme wave conditions have already caused severe coastal and beach degradation in many areas of the Seychelles. More intense wave energy now reaches the coastline as a result of the mass coral bleaching event in 1998. Coral reefs play an important role as active barriers to waves and changes in the sea level, hence when destroyed as a result of direct human action or climate change, they no longer protect the coast. Although the Seychelles receive more than 3000mm of rainfall per year, another challenge is freshwater availability because of inadequate storage. As it is predicted that the island experience wetter conditions separated by intense dry periods, adaptation should ideally focus on increasing storage capacity whilst conserving water.
Why is climate change such a big issue for islands?
Climate change will affect islands in a dramatic way not only because of their physical location but more so because of their physical location but more so because of their vulnerable human populations. Islanders have an opportunity to innovate and seek inventive ways to share solutions yet, in general, there is too little cooperation and exchange between Europe’s overseas entities and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It is for this reason that President Michel of the Seychelles launched the Sea Level Rise Foundation-a platform for all islands to work together, share best practice and build knowledge for the effective adaptation to climate change.
What is the relevance of the forthcoming conference “The European Union and its Overseas Entitles: Strategies to Counter Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss” to be held on Reunion island in July?
There have been many meetings recently on climate change; some productive, others merely talk-shows. This conference is unique and opportune as it will bring together, probably for the first time, European overseas entities and SIDS. It is therefore important we seize this chance to identify synergies and further collaboration, and to establish a network that will operate beyond the conference. It is also vital that we identify common challenges and perhaps solutions, which can then be effectively used to influence EU policy on climate change and adaptation issues, in particular with respect to small islands. The EU has put in place a number of ambitious targets to reduce emissions as well as a facility for adaptation; however it is critical that the EU takes into consideration the views of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Can islands cope with climate change?
I hold a very optimistic view of how islands will cope with climate change. Obviously this conclusion depends on the implementation of timely mitigation and adaptation measures. Small islands cannot adapt ad infinitum, and essentially we now have a window of opportunity which is increasingly becoming narrower and narrower. Large emitters have to put in place emissions reduction measures immediately to avoid the worst case scenarios-that is mass movements away from coastlines and low-lying areas. The displacement of millions of people is something we must, and can, avoid at all costs.
