Economics of Climate Change Adaptation: Regional Consultation on Capacity Building Needs in Asia

1. Economics of Climate Change Adaptation: Regional Consultation on Capacity Building Needs in Asia Maldivian Delegation 24-26 October 2012, Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok The views expressed are those of the presenter and should not be attributed to either UNDP or USAID. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that both the PowerPoint slides and the videos of the presentation of content included herein are viewed in conjunction in order that statements appearing in the PowerPoint slides are not interpreted out of context.

2. Country Profile • 1,190 islands. • 198 Inhabited Islands. • Total land area 300 km2 • Largest land area ~6 sq km • Population approx. 350,000 • Economy - Tourism and Fishing

3. Climate Change vulnerability • First National Communication (2001) and National Adaptation Program of Action (2007) Identified the following: • Land loss and beach erosion • Damage to key infrastructure • Damage to coral reefs • Water resources • Human health • Food security

4. Land loss and beach erosion • Risk of sea level rise • Highest elevation about 3 m • 80 % less than 1m above sealevel • Severe beach erosion observed in more than 55% of the islands

5. Damage to key infrastructure • Small buffer zone between cost and land • Very prone to wave induced flooding • Tourism – major source of revenue • Infrastructure damage – investment risks • 2004 tsunami- airport shut down or 2 weeks, probable scenario for severe flooding

6. Impact on coral reef • Increase in sea surface temperature • Coral bleaching • More than 70% of reefs affected, still recocering

7. Food security • Heavy dependence on import • Ration of food • Impact by regional countries

8. Water Resources • Wave impacts • Salt water intrusion • Improper sanitation systems • Elongated drought periods, • Last 3 years approx. more than MVR 2,000,000/year (USD 130,000) spent on provision of emergency water, 86 islands

9. Human Health • Erratic intermittent rainfall patterns • Outbreak of dengue and malaria

10. Energy • GDP of Maldives is US$ mn 906.00 (y 2009) • Fuel import bill is 31.7% of GDP @ US$ m 288.2 (2008) • GHG emissions 676,223 tons CO2 equivalent in 2005 • 2009 was 1,034,354 tons of CO2 equivalent • Carbon neutral nation 2020

11. Priorities and plans • According to NAPA (2007) highest priority: • Coastal adaptation • Water resources • Needs revision - Evidence based decision making (data availability) • Development plans focused more on short term plans • Strategic Action plan (5 year) • Strategic National Action Plan on CCA and DRR (5 year) • National Development plans (10 year) • Tourism master plans (5 years) • Long-term plans • 2020 vision • NEAP 2020 • Quantitative and qualitative aspects considered in internal planning, however , not the highest priority in budget decisions

12. Constraints • Systematically and comprehensively vulnerabilities given less consideration in the development planning process – increases the vulnerability, exacerbate the risks • Insufficient inter-sectoral coordination – political instability, changes in government ministries, emerging policies, laws and regulations, decentralisation – leads to waste of resources • Shortage of skilled and professional staff within the government sector • Limited knowledge and technical expertise about climate risk management and climate change adaptation more generally across all sectors • Senior decision makers need to be aware of economics of climate change adaptation including those involved in budgetary processes • Aid effectiveness – target of the governments, effective utilization • Lack of understanding about climate change economics among decision makers – difficulties in progress of projects