Speech of Ms. Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative, on the occasion of the Press Conference on Climate Promise and NDC update

July 30, 2020

Ms. Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative, delivering her speech during the press conference held on Wednesday 29 July 2020. PHOTO: @UNDP-Stephane Bellerose

 

Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management & Climate Change, 29 July 2020; Excellency, Honourable Kavi Ramano, Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management & Climate Change;

Excellency Emmanuel Cohet, Ambassador of the French Republic to Mauritius;

Mr André Pouilles Duplaix, Director, Agence Française de Développement;

Mr Soobratty, Permanent Secretary, 

Mr S Mooloo, Director, Department of Environment;

Members of the Press;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to begin by thanking you, Honourable Minister Ramano, for convening development partners today to launch the work for the Nationally Determined Contributions of the Republic of Mauritius. On my part, I am pleased to confirm the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management & Climate Change for the review and update the Mauritius Nationally Determined Contributions, that were initially submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2015.

On this occasion, I would like to take the opportunity to share UNDP’s SIDS offer, which is spearheaded by the UNDP Administrator himself. Our strategic offer outlines how UNDP intends to support SIDS to address to climate change and is focused on 4 specific areas of work.   

Ladies and Gentlemen,

UNDP’s Rising Up for SIDS articulates a clear strategy to respond to the most pressing needs of SIDS and leverage opportunities for accelerating development. Our offer aims to take action to accelerate sustainable development pathways in the following priority areas:

1.     Accelerating climate action, helping promote decarbonized and resilient societies.

2.    Supporting and delivering on inclusive blue economy transformations

3.    Promoting innovation, harnessing the opportunities of the digital age and managing associated challenges

4.    Mobilizing resources through innovative financing methods and traditional financing sources

As has been asserted by Small Island Developing States, UNDP agrees with the view that these areas are fundamental to SIDS’ ability to recover rapidly, build back better and enhance resilience to future shocks. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, UNDP’s support will also be adapted to include COVID-19 response and recovery.

I would like to acknowledge and applaud the Republic of Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, for having so far performed exceedingly well in containing the Covid-19, which is having a dramatic impact worldwide.

It can be said, however, that despite the low incidence of COVID-19 in SIDS; they are being disproportionately affected. Economic shocks are hitting SIDS over and above the health shocks; and, are likely to persist even after the health crisis is over. As is the case for Mauritius, SIDS are overly dependent on imports, including energy imports, which for some SIDs account for as much as 30 percent of their Gross Domestic Product. As the COVID-19 crisis continues to hit SIDS, energy security is also threatened.

Furthermore, we all know that SIDS are heavily dependent on tourism, with revenues amounting up to 40 percent of GDP for some SIDS. Tourism is thus a core driver of development and lost revenue from the global crisis will likely have a devastating impact on SIDS’ economies, as we can witness in Mauritius.

Lack of market diversification and heavy dependence on imports also make SIDS vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. Therefore, recovery efforts must focus on diversification and transformation of SIDS economies to build resilience to future shocks. The green and blue economies are a necessary part of this equation.

In response to some of these challenges and aligned to SDG 13 on Climate Action UNDP’s offer is focused on: (1) energy transformation; (2) adaptation and resilience; and (3) nature-based solutions.

Within the context of our Rising Up for SIDS strategy – we are now focused on the Climate Promise with a grant of USD 300,000. Under this ambitious initiative, UNDP is supporting 100 countries to enhance their NDCs under the Paris Agreement by 2020, by demonstrating an increase in the ambition for greater emissions reduction and resilience building. This includes support to raise ambition in those SIDS that have positioned themselves as champions of bold climate action – working in close concert with, and through, the NDC Partnership.

To deliver on this promise, UNDP will make available its’ extensive expertise and capacities around the world, including through our partners and independent experts, to support country offices. Furthermore, an integrated approach will harness the wide-ranging expertise of UNDP’s Global Policy Network to strengthen climate solutions with perspectives from governance, health, water, gender equality, women’s and youth empowerment, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive growth, amongst others. We are also please do associate with development actors such as Agence Française de Développement.

More specifically, UNDP aims to promote decarbonized and resilient societies through scaled up climate action across all SIDS. Our support is based on national development and climate policy priorities, under the overarching objective of accelerating achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me conclude by providing specifics on the 3 key actions that UNDP intends in Mauritius Climate Promise project over the next few months.

First, support will be provided to engender political will and societal ownership on NDCs at national and sub national levels

Discussions will be organized amongst the policy makers, stakeholders and communities to promote the NDCs and articulate the benefits of more ambitious targets aligned with SDGs. Other activities include strengthening institutional coordination mechanism for NDCs, sector specific dialogues, policy dialogue on access to concessional funding, capacity assessments for key institutions to access funding and implement projects and educating people about the NDC commitments and climate action emergency.

Second, technical assistance will be provided to update the National Adaptation Plan (including a specific study on Land Drainage); and, to assess climate change mitigation potential of using concentrated Solar Power; and, assessments in the waste management sector

To review, align and update existing targets, policies and measures - the progress towards the 2015 NDC commitments will be assessed; and the existing vulnerability assessment in Mauritius and Rodrigues will be synthesized to determine whether there is a need for additional vulnerability assessments.

An assessment of Climate Change mitigation potential will also be carried out, considering the waste management sector and the potential of using concentrated solar power.

Third, UNDP will provide Technical assistance on communications and learning on NDCs

The focus here is on awareness raising to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach. A nation-wide intensive information campaign and the translation of the NDC in creole will be undertaken.

UNDP will also be providing support to the work started under Les Assises de L’Environnement. We have earmarked and additional USD 150,000 to support in the finalization of the masterplan which was produced as a result of the Assises; and look forward to Governments action plan to green the landscape along the motorways. In total the UNDP support to the Ministry of Environment is valued at USD 450,000.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am hopeful that the next Mauritius NDC will demonstrate a higher level of ambition while ensuring a green recovery from the current pandemic.

Thank you for your kind attention.