Sea Level Rise Foundation hosts first International Side-Event in New York

Seychelles Nation - 12.05.2008

Dr Rolph Payet, Special Advisor to the President and Chairman of the Sea Level Rise Foundation, is in New York to participate in the 16th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and the SIDS (Small Island Developing States) Day today.

He is accompanied by the principal secretary for Environment, Didier Dogley. This year’s theme is focused on land management, rural development, agriculture, drought and desertification.
The SIDS Day will comprise two panels and a number of partnership sessions in which Dr Rolph Payet will play a significant role as panel presenter and co-lead discussions on ‘creating partnerships to enhance sustainable development and conservation in SIDS’. 

A special first-time SIDS exhibition showcasing agri-products from SIDS, where Seychelles will also have an exhibit, is also being organised in New York.

The highlight of the SIDS day will be a special evening side-event organised by the Sea Level Rise Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development on ‘Sea Level Rise, Climate Change and its impacts on food security in SIDS’.

This side-event is being organised at the time when the world is facing a food crisis, and Small Island States are not spared.

The Sea Level Rise Foundation, a global foundation based in Seychelles, aims to bring the issue of food security and linkages to climate change in SIDS to the attention of the UN and participants to the 16th Session of the CSD.

SIDS Day and Review of CSD-13 Water and Sanitation Decisions

Sixteenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16), New York, 5-16 May 2008

From http://www.iisd.ca/csd/csd16/may12.html

Monday, 12 May, 2008

Thematic session: SIDS

The "SIDS Day" session, chaired by Chair Nhema, featured morning panelists Rolph Payet (Small Islands Voice) and Jacqueline daCosta (Jamaica). Panelists and participants heard statements by Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang and Under-Secretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra, and discussed land policy, administration and management and desertification, drought and invasive species in SIDS.

Cheick Sidi Diarra (Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser for Africa).

Rolph Payet (Small Islands Voice).

Byron Blake (Antigua and Barbuda, for the G-77/China).

Joanna Hewitt (Australia).

Angus Friday (Grenada).

Iceland.

The afternoon portion of "SIDS Day" featured panelists Ena Harvey (IICA), Peter Holmgren (FAO) and Rex Horoi (Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific).

$5.6m biodiversity projects

Seychelles Nation - 18.04.2008

Making best use of our vital resources
Local conservationists are this week getting organised to carry out two new biodiversity-related projects.

Mr Dogley addressing participants at the opening of the workshop yesterday

The projects recently received funding from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and deal with conservation and sustainable use of Seychelles’ biodiversity, and controlling and eliminating invasive species that could arrive here through trade and travel.

It will cost an estimated US $5.6 million to carry them out, and a project coordination unit has been set up in the Department of Environment to see this through. It will receive help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to put its work plan into effect.

Those who are to play a role in carrying out the work plan are taking part in a four-day workshop designed to help them understand and take ownership of the projects’ objectives as well as finalise the first year’s schedule.

The workshop got under way at the International Conference Centre yesterday, in the presence of the principal secretary for environment, Didier Dogley; the special adviser to the President and GEF focal point here, Dr Rolph Payet; and UNDP’s resident representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, Claudio Calderone, and its programme manager, Roland Alcindor.

Mr Dogley told workshop delegates that when the projects were conceived some eight years ago, conservationists wanted to consolidate work in areas already under protection in Seychelles.

After much reflection they realised that biodiversity knows no boundaries and that it would take a more concerted effort from all sectors of the country to conserve it, given the fast pace at which the country is developing.

He called on partners in the tourism, fisheries and construction industries to exercise restraint in their daily actions, to ensure that the biodiversity of the land is maintained and respected at all times.  

Mr Alcindor spoke of the need to have efficient and proper procedures of accounting for expenses under the projects, saying it is a first for the GEF and UNDP to help the country with such large sums in full-scale projects such as the two in question.

He stressed that Seychelles will need to show it can deliver results in both projects, achievements that will serve as guarantees for future aid from the UNDP and GEF.

Mr Payet warned of a possible cutback in funds if there are delays in carrying out the projects’ work plan, as the GEF is very strict in this area.

The project on conservation and sustainable use of the country’s biodiversity may prove to be significant for the future, he added. It was singled out at the GEF’s last meeting in Vietnam last year as an example of how development and biodiversity can work together without upsetting each other’s course.

Seychellois wins Global Oceans Award

Seychelles Nation - 10.04.2008

Dr Rolph Payet, special adviser in the Office of the President, has been given the Global Oceans Award for his work to advance issues relating to oceans worldwide.

He was honoured at a reception of the 4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands in Hanoi, Vietnam, which ends today.

The award recognises Dr Payet’s contribution to the global oceans agenda and the work of the oceans conference. It is further evidence of the work and impact Seychelles is having at international level in promoting oceans issues.

For many years Dr Payet has led key regional and international initiatives and now has several international responsibilities related to the oceans. The award comes at a time when the Small Island Developing States are adapting to sea-level rise as a result of climate change.

At the Hanoi conference Dr Payet led a high-level session – themed the oceans, climate change and small island states – which saw the historic participation of the first, former and current chairmen of the Alliance of Small Island States. The session, which kicked off soon after the delivery of President James Michel’s keynote address by video, set the tone for the rest of the conference.

The conference has reached several important milestones in pushing the islands and oceans agenda, in particular strengthening financial mechanisms for adaptation to climate change.

Stress was also laid on capacity building, including strengthening the role of universities in addressing some of the challenges and exploring innovative approaches to managing coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.