Mali and Grenada prepare for adaptation to the consequences of climate change

Grenada and Mali are both strongly affected by climate change and particularly vulnerable to storms, floods and droughts. At the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban (South Africa) Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen today pledged support of 10 million euros for Mali and 5 million euros for Grenada to help the governments of the two countries implement their respective programmes.

The goal of the Joint Ministerial Declarations signed is to increase the adaptability of both countries through specific measures and thus help them play a pioneering role in their regions. Grenada as a small island state in the Caribbean and Mali as a land-locked country in the Sahel in West Africa are confronted with the impacts of climate change in very different ways. They must prepare for changing conditions such as an increase in extreme weather events like droughts, storms and heavy rainfall, and for the slow rise of the sea level.

Both countries have adopted integrated adaptation strategies. The key is not to look at just one particular sector, but to combine, for example, adaptation measures in water management, coastal defence and agriculture. This increases the effectiveness of adaptation activities in the long term. Both Mali and Grenada are striving to enhance their adaptability through concrete measures, for example regarding the management of natural resources, to demonstrate promising practices in model projects and to share their experience with other countries. The signing of the Joint Ministerial Declarations was preceded by consultations with the governments of both countries and local representatives from industry and civil society to define the shape of the cooperation. The Federal Environment Ministry already supports the two countries under its International Climate Initiative (ICI).