São Tomé and Príncipe is a small nation in the Gulf of
Guinea off the west coast of Africa. Its
name was given for the two main islands that comprise the country, the largest
of each archipelago that it is made of.
While such a tiny nation would not normally register for its green
record, looking at what they have done to improve their environment shows that
no country in the world is exempt from caring for it.
As a developing nation, São Tomé and Príncipe’s needs are
different that those of Canada or Europe.
However, they still strive for sustainability, economic growth, and
cultural expression, just like any other.
In pursuing this, they are working with other nations and organizations
to ensure that their growth is not only economically sustainable, but that it
is environmentally viable as well. This
article seeks to explore the Small Island Developing State
(SIDS) that is São Tomé and Príncipe and show how every nation is
responsible for protecting this world.
Food Security
As a part of the National Poverty Reduction
Strategy, São Tomé and Príncipe are working to reduce poverty by
half and add annual real GDP growth of 5% per year. As a part of this, the African
Development Bank has invested in São Tomé and Príncipe’s
fisheries. The goal is to reduce the
food deficit in the country through sustainable practices that will ensure a
lasting supply of food for the population as well as maintain environmental
standards that will make it lasting.
São Tomé and Príncipe estimates it could bring in between
23,000 and 29,000 tonnes of fish per year.
This would help lower the current 22% of citizens who do not have enough
food resources. Environmental awareness
actions within the program are meant to educate fishery workers on sustainable
and green practices in order to ensure that a consistent stock is available
every year. This has been received through
the Environmental and Social Management Plan, designed based on previous African Developmental Bank
initiatives in other nations. Such
measures include:
- Cleaning of runoff water before re-entry into the ecosystem;
- Repopulation of old fishing tracks in order to protect historical and cultural fishing areas as well as ensure sustainability within existing water systems; and
- Ensuring proper disposal of waste and toxic liquids through controlled landfills and incinerators.
Implementation of this plan is also a part of the island
nation’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, signed in 2005.
Ocean Protection
Much of São Tomé and Príncipe can be classified as
coastal. The country has a rich
diversity of undeveloped coastal areas; however these are threatened by
deforestation, coastal erosion due to mining, desertification, unregulated
tourism development, and a general lack of township planning. There is also a newly emerging offshore
petroleum industry that is growing and contributing to environmental
concerns. This is why a National Ocean Policy
has been proposed by the United Nations for São
Tomé and Príncipe as well as all SIDS nations. This is important as continued erosion is
damaging environments as well as tourism and fisheries development.
To counter growing oil production, the government passed the
Oil Revenue Management Law, which is now considered a model for other
nations. Through the aid of the Earth Institute at Columbia
University and the World Bank, a
percentage of oil revenues are diverted to future environmental needs. This means that any offshore oil development
must is required to contribute to environmental protection of the surrounding
ocean area.
The Rio Convention of
1992 deals with sustainable development on a global level in dealing with
resource development. While non-binding,
it has been used in the case of São Tomé and Príncipe to manage economic growth
from natural resources in coastal areas while ensuring sustainability in the
environment where it is being conducted.
The 1994 UN Conference on Sustainable
Development of Small Island developing states, held in Barbados, is
also being used to establish programs that take into account coastal and ocean
issues for any new construction development on the islands. This includes paying attention to coral reef
habitats, wetlands, and life-support systems for marine wildlife.
National
Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)
The United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Article 4.9, recognizes a
classification of nations known as Least Developed Countries (LDCs). These nations, of which São Tomé and Príncipe
is a part of, have special needs when it comes to how they are able to
incorporate climate change initiatives while continuing to develop other areas
of their country. Article 4.9 states,
“The Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and special
situations of the Least Developed Countries in their actions with regard to
funding and transfer of technology.” The
use of NAPAs in such nations enables foreign aid for adaptable changes that
place an emphasis on climate variability.
There are two NAPAs currently operating in São Tomé and
Príncipe. First, there is the Adaptation
to Climate Change initiative that was begun by the World
Bank. The second is the Strengthening
of the Adaptive Capacity of Must Vulnerable Sao Tomean’s Livestock-Keeping
Households, initiated by the African Development Bank. Key environmental vulnerabilities were
outlined in six sectors: agriculture, forests and livestock; fisheries; public
works, infrastructure and tourism; energy and water; health; and public safety
and civil protection. By working on
climate change initiatives as well as certain social areas, the goal is to
improve both the environment and the standard of living. The UNFCCC is also
coordinating their efforts, as well as those of the World
Bank and African Development Bank, through the Poverty
Reduction Strategy and the Rio Convention on
desertification and biodiversity.
Additional funding for these programs have also come from the Japan
Adaptation Programme.
It is important to
note that this is only the beginning of the work that NAPAs wish to do in São
Tomé and Príncipe. There are a total of
22 projects currently outlined for the island nation.
The Future of São
Tomé and Príncipe
As a SIDS
and LDC nation, São Tomé and Príncipe has severe restrictions on what it is
able to accomplish environmentally.
However, through external aid, such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations, they have
been able to implement new strategies and begin projects to ensure a higher
standard of life, meet basic needs of the population, and do so through
sustainable and environmentally sound methods. This environmental
transformation is also helping economically as new and existing industries are
strengthened and can have an environmentally sound future.
Sources: UNFCCC, AFDB, Eco Bank, UN.org, Rolas
Furnas Geysir, West Africa, World Bank, Vintage Jhan BlogSpot Image
