Climate Change

In 2002, the Comoros submitted an initial National Communication entitled ‘Convention-cadre des nations-unies sur les changements climatiques: Communication nationale initiale’ to the UNFCCC. This was followed in 2006 by the submission of a National Action Programme of Adaptation to Climate Change (NAPA) to the UNFCCC.

The current and possible impacts of climate change are likely to undermine several decades of efforts made against poverty and economic precariousness, which still represent major concerns for the Comoros. The agricultural industry already experiences difficulties due to higher temperatures, changes in rainfall and rain intensity, and the emergence of new crop pests. The country is also exposed to cyclones, rising sea levels, and the increasing vulnerability of coral barriers. These changes are liable to provoke disruptions in this archipelago, where most of the population lives along the coast and the economy and living conditions are largely dependent upon tourism and fishing. Climate drift is particularly likely to disrupt development efforts, especially strategies for food security and poverty reduction. This is exacerbated by the lack of uniform building standards, with much of the country’s infrastructures being built less than 6 meters above sea level. These low-lying areas are also among the most population dense in the country and have a greater incidence of poverty than other areas. Degraded soils can also be found in those zones where coastal erosion is highly marked. The possible anticipated impacts of climate change include an accelerated reduction of agricultural and fishing production, an increased saline intrusion in coastal aquifers, a 20 cm rise in sea level by 2050 with the destruction of 29% of roads and works by flooding, a loss of cultivable lands and mass movement of citizens to high ground, and the disappearance of reefs and beaches with tourist potential. Major constraints to Comoros’ ability to adapt to climate change result from restricted access to financing, technology and human capacity. The predominately English literature on adaptation mechanisms creates an added language barrier to adaptation.