São Tomé and Príncipe launches Resilands climate resilience initiative
The Green Climate Fund-financed project will fund early warning systems and disaster risk management, with the UN Economic Commission for Africa carrying out the work.
São Tomé and Príncipe has launched the Resilands initiative, aimed at protecting communities and public works from worsening climate change as a strong El Niño is forecast. The launch came during national consultations held in October, where the country moved forward on strengthening risk management and putting preventive alerts in place.
António Palazuelos, an expert on Small Island Developing States, spoke to UN News at the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, in Armenia. He said the initiative is meant to build rapid response capacity for emergencies, and that the minister had called it a state priority. He cited storms, floods and landslides among the threats the project addresses, and said infrastructure must be built to withstand floods and extreme weather.
The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund and executed by the UN Economic Commission for Africa. It brings together nine member countries of the Commission of Island States of Africa for Climate, including Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe. It is led by the Ministry of Finance and the Planning Department, working with environment, blue economy, civil protection and foreign affairs bodies, universities and civil society.
Why it mattersInfrastructure and communities in the country are targeted for protection from floods and landslides under the programme.