The American actor Leonardo DiCaprio, an increasingly active environmentalist, is donating $1 million to the Seychelles for the island nation’s climate change adaption fund, the environment minister said this week.
Photo: C. Hagai Zvulun, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
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(Seychelles News Agency, 4 February 2016)
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Debt-for-nature swap in Seychelles
At the Paris Climate Talks, the Government of the Seychelles announced the protection of a vast swath of Indian Ocean that surrounds this island nation off the coast of East Africa. This forms part of a deal, facilitated by the Nature Conservancy and supported by the Paris Club, that restructures the country’s foreign debt. At this event, participants learned about what was required in order to make this happen, the conservation and adaptation benefits that were secured, and the potential for this model to be replicated elsewhere.
Produced by Peter Wood, PhD, and filmed/edited by Ben Crowe
IISD Reporting Services
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IISD Reporting Services
The first ever climate adaptation debt swap that also includes a strong marine conservation component was finalized recently between the Government of Seychelles and its Paris Club creditors. The agreement introduces impact investing to debt swaps and provides proof of concept for other Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) to replicate.
Photo: Blue Orange Studios
Read press release here (NatureVest)
Debt swap explained (NatureVest video)
The Nature Conservancy article here (TNC Africa)
Innovative Debt Swap (TNC Africa)
The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SEYCCAT) has become operational after the board held its first meeting. The trust was legally established by the government of the Seychelles in November 2015 after the national Assembly approved the Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust of Seychelles Bill (2015). The trust fund has been created with the support of the Nature Conservancy and is linked to the Seychelles Debt Swap/Buy Back and subsequently, the Seychelles Marine Spatial Planning Initiative.
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(Seychelles Nation, 30 Nov 2015)
In its first expedition of 2015, the Pristine Seas team journeyed to the island groups of Aldabra and Cosmoledo within the Seychelles to explore their unknown marine environments. This international team of scientists and filmmakers measured and illuminated the abundance of marine life from the smallest to the largest organisms—from microbes to megafauna.
Photo: Manu San Felix, National Geographic
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(National Geographic, 15 March 2015)
Swapping Seychelles debt for ocean conservation – milestone agreement reached with Paris Club creditors.
Photo: Seychelles News Agency
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(Seychelles News Agency, 27 Feb 2015)
The Ministry of Environment and Energy is drawing up a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) which will clearly demarcate areas designated for fishing, recreation, oil exploration and tapping as well as harnessing of renewable energy sources.
Photo: Seychelles Nation
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(Seychelles Nation, 12 June 2014)
The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands, has a total land area of 455 km² spread over an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.3 million square km, an EEZ slightly larger than South Africa and about six times the size of the United Kingdom. Already, half of the Seychelles’ land territory is protected under law as nature reserves. The Seychelles Ministry of Environment and Energy is now drawing up a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) which will clearly demarcate areas designated for fishing, recreation, oil exploration and tapping as well as harnessing of renewable energy sources.
Photo: Gerard Larose, Seychelles Tourism Board
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(Seychelles News Agency, 11 June 2014)
Some 50 delegates from various ministries and environment-related organisations have attended the second workshop on the Seychelles Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Initiative.
The workshop took place last week at the STC (Seychelles Trading Company) conference room and was organised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy in close collaboration with the Nature Conservancy.
Photo: Seychelles Nation
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(Seychelles Nation, 11 May 2014)
Mr. Wills Agricole
Principal Secretary, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC)