The Stimson Center Environmental Security program will conduct new climate risk assessments in coastal areas in Aruba, Belize, Dominica, and Mauritius, and Madagascar, all expected to begin by the end of June 2023. The projects were announced yesterday at the 8th Our Ocean Conference in Panama City, Panama at a Stimson-hosted event on strengthening climate resilience for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and developing coastal countries. Agreements of support for these assessments are being established with the Government of Aruba, the Government of Canada through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA) and in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat in Dominica and Mauritius, and in partnership with TaiwanICDF in Belize.
CORVI is a decision support tool for leaders who need to make smart climate investment and take action where it’s needed most to improve the safety and security of their coastal communities. In Aruba, and Belize, and Madagascar, CORVI will analyze more than 100 different ecological, financial, and social risk factors to produce a coastal risk profile and make concrete recommendations for building climate resilience. Dominica and Mauritius will undergo a rapid risk assessment, designed to identify priority climate risk areas that require more attention and pressing action. These new projects are the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th CORVI assessments. So far CORVI has been used in 11 countries and on 4 continents to help coastal cities address their climate risks. Learn more about CORVI.
During the conference, it was also announced with Monaco’s Ambassador to the United States, Maguy Doyle that funding from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will be provided to the upcoming climate risk assessment in Toamasina, Madagascar, also set to begin in by the end of June 2023. This project was officially announced last November at COP27 with initial funding as part of a State department funding package to ORRAA. Learn more about the project.
Director of the Environmental Security Program at the Stimson Center, Sally Yozell, said: “SIDS and coastal communities face growing threats from climate change, on top of existing economic, social, and political vulnerabilities. CORVI assesses these risks holistically across land and sea to inform smart climate investments to strengthen coastal climate resilience. It’s inspiring to be able to work with so many different leaders in island states and coastal communities who are striving to safeguard their people, environment, and economies from the impacts of climate change now and in the future.”
Vice Prime Minister of Aruba and Minister of Transport, Integrity, Nature & Senior Affairs for Aruba, Ursell Arends, said, “The fate of our ocean and coastal communities are interlocked. The case is especially acute in small island societies in which the vulnerabilities and exposure to climate change are concentrated and amplified across nature, biodiversity, transportation and health infrastructures, and society’s vulnerable groups, especially the elderly. Moving from assessment to action, we need to unlock the future of our ocean and communities.”
Deputy Secretary General of TaiwanICDF, Alex Shyy, said: “As an official aid development donor, we focus on making investments that have the greatest impact on improving the livelihoods of people and their quality of life. CORVI is a good reference in our longstanding “people-oriented technology” policy because it helps us target where our investments can make the most impact in complex multi-dimensional problems such as climate change by taking a partnership approach and using scientific data input from the donor, local government, academia and climate champions.”
The Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy in the Government of Madagascar said, “Our Ministry continues to look forward to working with the Stimson Center on this very important project to help build the blue economy and increase coastal and climate resilience in Madagascar, more precisely in Toamasina and its surrounding area.”
Vice President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Olivier Wenden, said, “Population growth and economic development combined with climate change have degraded coastal habitats and ecosystems, putting the future of millions of people at risk. Improving the security of coastal cities and enhancing the resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems are essential in our mission to protect communities living in areas strongly threatened by these negative effects. Science, knowledge and innovations, developed in a holistic approach, are pillars on which we must base our actions if we want to succeed. These are the pillars of the new Coastal Futures Initiative recently launched by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The Foundation is proud to support the Climate and Ocean Risk Vulnerability Index (CORVI), led by our partner the Stimson Center with whom we share the same values and conviction. CORVI highlights the importance of data-driven risk assessment tools to inform decisions for climate investments. In this perspective, the project unveiled during COP27, conducted in Toamasina in Madagascar, with the support of the US Department of State, is an important step. By determining the city’s degree of resilience to climate and ocean risks, we can put in place the most appropriate and effective actions and contribute to build robust blue economy sectors.”
Background on Upcoming Projects:
Aruba is one of the most tourism dependent small island economies in the Caribbean. Tourism accounts for 90% of the economy and 80% of employment on the island. Key tourist attractions like coral reefs and seagrasses are threatened by coastal erosion and environmental degradation, exacerbated by ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures. The island also has limited freshwater resources and is heavily dependent on desalination.
Dominica faced severe economic damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017, with estimated damages valued at 225% of the island’s economy. Still in need of reconstruction, the hurricane spurred efforts to greatly strengthen climate adaptation in Dominica. The island is also at high risk of increased temperatures and more frequent drought.
Mauritius is at high risk of increased sea level rise, which is almost twice the global average. With an increase in extreme weather events, post-storm public health crises are expected to be more frequent due in part to overcrowding and poor drainage in residential areas.
Belize City is vulnerable to climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, and sea level rise. Over the past seven years, the city has been hit by three hurricanes, causing significant damage., Belize City’s economy relies heavily on tourism due to its proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reef is increasingly threatened by warming seas and hurricanes.
Toamasina is Madagascar’s second-largest city and largest port. Madagascar is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing high risks from cyclones, floods, and severe drought, which have cost the country over $1 billion in damages in the last 20 years. Flooding, exacerbated a vulnerable waste and sanitation system, threatens the city’s infrastructure, electricity, and public health.
About CORVI
CORVI is a decision support tool for leaders who need to make smart climate investments to improve the safety and security of coastal cities. Currently operating in eleven coastal cities around the world, CORVI organizes data and information across the land and seascape to provide decision makers with the complete risk picture they need to take action.
Visit https://www.stimson.org/project/corvi/ for more information.
The Stimson Center’s Environmental Security program explores the array of environmental threats, both human and natural, that have the potential to undermine national, regional, or global security.
The Stimson Center promotes international security and shared prosperity through applied research and independent analysis, global engagement, and policy innovation.
More at www.stimson.org.
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