Transcript Why an environmental profile?

OCT Environmental Profiles
Climate change in Greenland
Source: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
Example of effect of sea-level rise
Simulation for Papeete
Papeete, French Polynesia, with
airport at present
Same view, after sea-rise of 88
cm.
What is an environmental profile?
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A concise (10 pages) document for each territory:
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describing the main environmental issues ;
giving sufficient background to put these issues in context;
giving basic data about the organisational infrastructure;
giving details of participation in international environmental
agreements, cooperative partnerships and networks.
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Environment includes climate change and natural hazards.
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Special emphasis on socio-economic impacts, livelihoods, poverty.
Why an environmental profile?
1. To feed discussions on the environment and possible
consequences environmental trends may have on OCTs
socio-economic development.
2. More specifically, to assist the EU in programming its
EDF assistance to the OCTs.
Methodology & Timing
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Basically a desk study
Questionnaire
Feedback
…………………………….. 2006 …………………………………
July
August
September
October
November
Drafting of EPs
Feedback from OCTs,
finalisation of EPs
Draft
EPs
Final
EPs
About the OCTs: Diversity
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Latitude…………………….
Longitude………………….
Land area (x 1000 km2)
EEZ ……….(x 1000 km2)
Population....…(x 1000)
Population density (/km2)
GDP/capita…… (€’000)
Remoteness……(km.)….
No. of inhabited islands…
From
To
GR
83˚N
90˚S
BA
W&F
176˚E
166˚W
NC
PIT
0.05
2166
GR
SP&M
12
5500
FP
PIT
0.05
275
FP
GR
0.03
538
MAY
BVI
38.5
2.2
MAY
24
2700
1
113
Aruba
FP
About the OCTs: Commonalities
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(Small) islands or archipelagos
Small population
Vulnerable economies
Natural hazards: incidence and vulnerability 
A number of factors are of disproportionate importance:
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biodiversity, endemism
OCTs account for 0.02% of world population, 2.7% of area, but
16% of world’s freshwater
strategic importance
Natural hazards and OCTs
TDC
Volcanic
ASC
Seismic
Tsunami
Severe risk
Moderate risk
Low risk
W&F
WIND
Hurricane
T&C
STPM
STH
PIT
NLA
NC
MON
MAY
GR
FP
FLK
CAY
BVI
ARU
ANG
Cyclone/
OCTs and the environment
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Environmental problems characterised by
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Complexity: long chains of effects
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Interrelatedness
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Between environmental aspects
Between environment and economy
Example of complexity: coral reefs
GLOBAL
fossil fuel
combustion
GLOBAL
Deforestation
LOCAL
Unsustainable
tourism
LOCAL
Unsustainable
fishing
LOCAL
Other
pressures
Greenhouse gas
emissions
Exacerbates
Extreme
weather
events
Sea and wave
damage
Acidification
Damage
Mitigates
Habitat for fish
Rising sea
and air
temp.
Bleaching
Sea level
rise
Drowning
Destruction, sedimentation,
nutrients
Services
Protects spawning
grounds
Tourist attraction
Sand replenishment
Dealing with complexity: DPSIR model
Responses:
•Designation protected areas
•Sewage treatment
•Recycling
•Adaptation
Drivers:
Pressures:
State:
Impacts:
•Population
•Sewage discharges
•Warmer air / water
•Loss of habitat, wildlife
•Traffic
•Waste
•Polluted water
•Coastal retreat
•Development
•CO2 emissions
•Reduced fish catch
•Industry
•Overfishing
•Reduced tourism
3 major environmental issues in OCTs
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Climate change
Solid waste
Biodiversity
Issue 1: Climate change
Climate change has following features
which distinguish it from other
environmental problems:
Global
Long-term
Some of the science is uncertain
Wide range of different effects
Some scenarios are catastrophic
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Climate change and small tropical islands
PRESSURES
STATE
........... IMPACTS.............
Physical
coastal
erosion,
inundation
Socio-economic
direct econ.
costs
tourism
GHG
emissions
Deforestation
Climate change
Rise in
temperatures
Rise in sea level
More extreme
weather
degradation
coral reefs
fisheries
salinisation
of soils &
groundwater
health
issues
disruption
communities
agriculture
Climate change in Greenland
PRESSURES
GHG
emissions
PHYSICAL
IMPACTS
GLOBAL IMPACTS
Global
deforestation
Rising global sea-level
Thermohaline circulation
Melting ice-sheet
flux of (fresh) water
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Impacts on fisheries
Changes in
drainage /
hydrology
higher air
and water
temps
Wildlife loss
Impacts on society,
traditional customs
Changes in ecosystems
/ habitat
Opening of new navigational
possibilities
Loss of sea-ice
Impacts on infrastructure
Changes in permafrost
STATE
Vulnerability to climate change
Vulnerability
OCTs
Remarks
High
ANG, ARU, BVI, FP, NLA,
T&C, CAY, FP
GR
Low-lying areas, tourism-dependent
Medium
MAY
MON
NC
PIT
Threats to sea-ice, fisheries, wildlife,
permafrost
Large population in low-lying areas
More intense natural events
Cyclone-prone, fishing industry
Risk of drought
FLK
STH
STPM
Fishery dependent
Some threat to agric. & fisheries
Flooding and erosion of low-lying areas
Issue 1: Climate change – CO2 emissions
OCTs account for <0.1% of CO2 emissions, will bear disproportionate
impact.
 But, look at per capita emissions.
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Per capita CO2 emissions 2003
25
Tonnes
20
15
10
5
COUNTRY
Source: US Department of Energy CO2 Information Analysis Centre (CDIAC)
NC
H
ST
O
N
NL
A
SP
&M
M
G
R
FP
FL
K
BV
I
CA
Y
AR
U
US
UK
NL
F
DK
0
Issue 2: Solid waste in OCTs
Main challenges
Lack of critical size to make modern WM facilities costeffective
Lack of facilities, critical size, markets to make
recycling and composting feasible
lack of public awareness
Hazardous waste
Problems noted in following:
ARU, CAY, MAY, NC, NLA, PF, STH (+ ASC+TDC), W&F
Issue 3: Biodiversity Conservation
The OCTs are very rich in biodiversity, including many
endemic and endangered species:
New Caledonia contains the highest number of
endemic species in the Pacific: 2500 plants, 20
freshwater fish, 60 reptiles, 25 birds, 6 mammals
The UK overseas territories contain at least 10 x as
many endemic species as the UK itself.
Gough Island, a WH site in TDC, is one of the most
important sea-bird colonies in the world, with 22
species breeding on island, some threatened.
Issue 3: Biodiversity Conservation
Why conserve biodiversity?
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Because of international obligations under the
Convention on Biological Diversity.
Because the wildlife is one of the major assets of the
islands, a source of actual or potential livelihoods
and food (tourism, fishing)
Issue 3: Biodiversity Conservation
Main threats to biodiversity:
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Introduced species
Overharvesting
MEAs such as the CBD, Ramsar, Convention on
Migratory Species, CITES provide instruments to help
conserve biodiversity (designation of protected areas,
preparation of management plans), but these have not
yet been properly implemented in law by many OCTs.
Some first tentative conclusions
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Generally no conflict between general development
objectives and environmental objectives. On the
contrary, the protection of the environment, marine
and terrestrial habitats and wildlife is crucial to the
economic and social well-being of territories.
Most decision-makers are aware of the need to
ensure their development is sustainable. However
awareness needs to be translated into formal and
legal safeguards: provisions for EIA, full
implementation of MEAs, etc.
Some first tentative conclusions
(contd.)
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Climate change
Some OCTs are amongst the most vulnerable in the world to climate
change. All will be significantly affected.
OCTs need to take all possible measures to impress on the world
community the need for strong action to reduce GHG emissions.
At the same time, adaptation needs to be mainstreamed into
development planning.
Possible actions include:
- form alliances with regional and international groupings to make
sure the voice of the OCTs is heard by the world community;
- participate in research projects for which they are suited in regional
or global partnerships, so as to reduce uncertainties;
- maintain credibility by setting a good example;
- public awareness campaigns.