Officials of the second-largest island nation in the world are partnering with the Stimson Center and the Western Indian Ocean Research Association to develop a comprehensive coastal-city risk profile. The project aims to build climate resilience and support a sustainable blue economy amidst increasing climate threats, according to an Aug. 1 news release.
“We are grateful for this partnership, and for the opportunity to work in close coordination with officials in the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy and Mayor Nanatenaina Rakotononirina of Toamasina to identify vulnerabilities and build greater resilience for Madagascar," Sally Yozell, director of the Stimson Center's Environmental Security Program Director, said in the release. "This CORVI assessment will help to plan for the future of Toamasina and assist local officials in meeting the growing challenges of unchecked climate change.”
The Stimson Center and the WIORA are conducting a Coastal City Vulnerability Index (CORVI) assessment of Toamasina, Madagascar, and the surrounding areas in coordination with the Malagasy Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy and the Office of the Mayor of Toamasina, the release reported.
"CORVI is a data-driven decision support tool for local leaders who need to make smart climate investments to improve the safety and security of coastal cities," Stimson said in the release. "The tool uses nearly 100 ecological, financial and social risk indicators to produce a holistic coastal city risk profile with evidence-based local-level data and concrete recommendations for action."
The project will kick off with a series of seminars and meetings with stakeholders from government, local businesses, academia and civil society, the release reported. The meetings will provide the data necessary to develop the risk profile, mitigate vulnerabilities, strengthen resilience and bolster sustainability for Toamasina's blue economy, according to the release.
Madagascar, an island country off the southeastern coast of Africa, is frequently hit by cyclones, including six in 2022, the release reported. The country's infrastructure, water supply, food security and health and sanitary systems are adversely affected by cyclones and other extreme weather events. Toamasina, the island country's second-largest city and location of the country's largest port, is heavily reliant on the blue economy and bears the brunt of the country's climate-related economic losses.
The mayor of the urban community of Toamasina said multiple factors contribute to the community's climate risk, including its connection with the ocean, being the second-largest city and with large industrial sites and port expansion, the release reported.
"Unfortunately, there is a lack of balance on the economic progress of large companies and the social life and urban infrastructure of the city of Toamasina," CUT said in the release. "So, with the CORVI project, we hope to see several specific outcomes: establish a sustainable blue economy; upgrade the social and urban infrastructures of Toamasina through the port and the established industries here in Toamasina; and secure financial resources to set up a system of resilience to climate risks.”
“We are happy to partner with the experts from the Stimson Center who have brought CORVI and their expertise to Toamasina as they undertake this important work," Rado Rakotosoa, ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy director general, said in the release. "The work will be enormously helpful to our efforts to build a sustainable blue economy for our coastal communities and mitigate the extreme weather impact that affects the people of Toamasina and the economic port hub of our country.”
The CORVI project is supported by the U.S. Department of State, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, according to the release.
