Integrating climate change adaptation into economic sectors related to oceans, seas, and coasts is a challenge to be addressed for a blue economy resilient to climate change.
The first international scientific conference on the blue economy, organized by the University of Lomé, highlighted the importance of integrating climate change adaptation into the blue economy in Togo.
It brought together academic scholars, researchers, and institutional actors with the support of the FAO country office in Togo.
During one of the sessions at the conference, Dr. Hodabalo Pereki, National Coordinator of the NAP Readiness project « Strengthening National and Regional Capacities for Effective Climate Risk Management in Togo, » presented the FAO’s technical assistance approach aimed at maximizing the mobilization of innovative financing for climate change adaptation. This approach seeks to enhance the resilience of sectors such as Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Resources, which are dependent on economic activities linked to the oceans, seas, and coasts of Togo.
He explained that the FAO places particular emphasis on providing innovative tools, including those that help its member countries mobilize additional funding as part of its mandate to « free the world from hunger. »
« The FAO facilitates countries’ access to climate funds by providing tools that support the countries’ proposals when presenting them to these funds. To maximize climate finance mobilization, some of these tools allow for the more or less automated development of assessments on potential climate impacts or the climate justification of the proposal to be submitted, » Dr. Pereki explained.
Dr. Pereki reviewed several technical tools developed by the FAO and explored their use in sectors such as Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Resources related to the seas and coasts.
These tools include AquaCrop, Diagnostic Tools for Investments (DTI), Ex-Ante Carbon-Balance Tool (Ex-ACT), and Climate and Agricultural Risk Visualization and Evaluation (CAVA).
In his presentation, Dr. Pereki explained that the Ex-Ante Carbon-Balance Tool (Ex-ACT) allows for a quick assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in mangroves, which are part of the blue economy, and helps prioritize projects that bring both economic and climate benefits.
Reviewing the practical case of the NAP Readiness project implemented by the FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Resources (MERF) as the Designated National Authority (DNA), Dr. Pereki emphasized that the CAVA tool democratizes access to climate information at the national and sub-national levels and simplifies the use of past and future climate data in developing the climate rationale for proposals, particularly those related to a climate-resilient Togolese blue economy.
Dr. Laré PENN, Associate Professor and Chairman of the conference organizing committee, stressed the importance of this conference in raising awareness among the academic community and decision-makers about the challenges of the blue economy and the use of practical tools.
« The blue economy is a key driver for employment and entrepreneurship, directly linked to coastal resilience and the fight against food insecurity. The involvement of the FAO, through its tools for maximum impact and technical support, has been seen as a major asset in strengthening the capacities of researchers and doctoral students in this strategic field, » emphasized Dr. Penn.
The conference, led by the FAO, illustrated the interconnectedness between the blue economy and climate change adaptation. It paves the way for collaboration between academic institutions and national stakeholders to better integrate climate change adaptation into sectors related to oceans, seas, and coasts in Togo.
Source: agridigitale
