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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Sea'ties - Adapting coastal cities to tackle sea level rise

Ocean & Climate Platform (NGO) (
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#OceanAction45730
    Description
    Description
    The Sea'ties initiative purpose is to facilitate the development of public policies and the implementation of adaptation solutions in coastal cities exposed to sea level rise. The Sea'ties initiative is aimed at elected officials, managers and all actors involved in the transition of coastal cities. It has an international dimension and mobilizes cities with a diversity of climatic, geographic, social, economic and political contexts. Around the world, many solutions have already been implemented and can inspire other territories. Sea'ties aims to link these concrete experiences and characterize them in the light of scientific work in order to promote the best adapted practices and to support the choice of political decision-makers and territorial managers. To do this, the initiative relies on the most enlightening interdisciplinary scientific works and facilitates the exchange of knowledge, feedback and best practices between different regions of the world: Europe, Mediterranean area, West Africa, West Coast of the United States and the Pacific region. By making this voluntary commitment, we aim to accelerate the reflection on coastal and insular cities and territories’ challenges, and share the best practices and solutions that have already been implemented to tackle sea level rise. Within the Sea’ties Initiative, our mission has been to problematize the issues of sea level rise in different region, by adopting a systemic approach specific to coastal and insular territories. In island territories, and in the Pacific in particular, the coastal space is conceived in a broad approach, as a space that extends "from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the reef". The issues related to sea level rise integrate other risks and challenges that cannot be addressed separately, such as biodiversity erosion and the transition to a carbon neutral society. Next Steps: - The exchanges and proposed recommendations will be published in reports at the end of the workshops we organize in the different regions, and presented to regional and international policy makers. The restitution to regional actors will be done during a conference organized after the workshop. - Beyond that, all of the findings, best practices, and solutions deployed in the world will be shared on our website. - The solutions will also be integrated into the Solutions Map (https://seaties.ocean-climate.org/). - International advocacy will be carried out in the framework of the COP27 and COP28.
    Partners

    Ocean & Climate Platform (NGO)
    CNRS – INEE (Academic Institution)
    IRD (Academic Institution)
    Ocean Visions (Civil Society Organization)
    Ocean Conservancy (NGO)
    Conservatoire du Littoral (Government)
    Association Nationale des Élus du Littoral (Civil Society Organization)
    UICN – French Committee (NGO)
    Waves of Change (Civil Society Organization)
    Centre de Suivi Écologique (Private Sector)
    The French Tech Polynésie
    China Water Risk (Private Sector)

    Goal 6

    Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

    Goal 6

    6.1

    By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

    6.1.1

    Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services

    6.2

    By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

    6.2.1

    Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

    6.3

    By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

    6.3.1

    Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

    6.3.2

    Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

    6.4

    By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
    6.4.1

    Change in water-use efficiency over time

    6.4.2

    Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

    6.5

    By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

    6.5.1

    Degree of integrated water resources management 

    6.5.2

    Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation

    6.6

    By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
    6.6.1

    Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

    6.a

    By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
    6.a.1

    Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan

    6.b

    Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

    6.b.1

    Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

    Goal 11

    Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

    Goal 11

    11.1

    By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

    11.1.1

    Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing

    11.2

    By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
    11.2.1

    Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

    11.3

    By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
    11.3.1

    Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate

    11.3.2

    Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically

    11.4

    Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

    11.4.1

    Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)

    11.5

    By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations

    11.5.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    11.5.2

    Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)

    11.5.3

    (a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters

    11.6

    By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

    11.6.1

    Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities

    11.6.2

    Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

    11.7

    By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
    11.7.1

    Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

    11.7.2

    Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months

    11.a

    Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

    11.a.1

    Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space

    11.b

    By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

    11.b.1

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    11.b.2

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    11.c

    Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    A scientific paper, that synthetizes multi-disiplinary scientific knowledge and inform policymakers: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.740602/full
    A digital tool to promote and share good practices already implemented around the world: https://seaties.ocean-climate.org/
    A report of the Northern European Workshop organized in November 2022
    The launching a the Sea'ties Declaration, at One Ocean Summit, signed by more than 40 coastal cities and communities: https://ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Decla_EN_Signatories-1.pdf
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Organization of an Sea'ties side-event at the UN Ocean Conference, Lisbon, June
    Financing (in USD)
    Financial support to bring this project to the UNFCCC COP and make it is one of the priorities for decision makers. It would be 25 000 $ to finance human resources for the organization of an event, travel expenses, communication (IISD)
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2020 (start date)
    31 December 2023 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ocean & Climate Platform (NGO)
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries
    SEA’TIES focuses primarily on medium-size coastal and insular cities in five geographical regions: US West coast, Northern Europe, Mediterranean Bassin, South Pacific and West Africa. More specifically, the beneficiaries from the South Pacific includes Small Islands Developing States such as the Fiji, Marshall Island, and French Polynesia, and from the Least Developed Countries, West Africa includes country such as Senegal, Ghana, and Togo. The Programme has the objective to organize workshops to build capacity with different stakeholders from different cities, regions or countries to put forward their achievements and also their lessons learned.
    Ocean Basins
    South Pacific, North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Mangroves, Coral reefs, Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Countries
    Belgium
    Belgium
    Egypt
    Egypt
    Fiji
    Fiji
    France
    France
    Italy
    Italy
    Morocco
    Morocco
    Netherlands
    Netherlands
    Portugal
    Portugal
    Senegal
    Senegal
    Spain
    Spain
    Tunisia
    Tunisia
    Ibero-American Network of Life Cycle Assesment
    United States of America
    United States of America
    Contact Information

    Théophile, Project Manager - Coastal Adaptation and Climate Change