In a continued effort to support Seychelles in its mission for climate adaptation, and in line with its strategic objective, SeyCCAT secured funds for a coastal wetlands and climate change project (aka Coastal Wetlands and Climate Change Project). The project started in January 2020 and ended in June 2022. The main objective of the project was to include seagrass meadows blue carbon commitments in the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The second phase was approved and began early July 2022, with a deadline of Q1 2024.
There has been significant work done through the MSP process in modelling the likely location of seagrass meadows and ensuring their representation in the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). It is anticipated that some seagrass meadows are already included within the designation of 30% of the Seychelles’ EEZ as MPAs (March 2020). However, there is more work that needs to be explored to accurately map the location of seagrass ecosystems across Seychelles EEZ and in turn ensure the sustainability of Seychelles seagrass meadows, this being actioned by the Seychelles Seagrass Mapping and Carbon project. While this project’s work (remote sensing, ground truthing and field validation) is nearing completion, future work including monitoring, reporting and verification of seagrass ecosystems and their current or upcoming protection status will need financing. Since Seychelles graduated to a high-income status country, it has limited access to grants and concessionary financing opportunities. Blended finance or innovative financing is appealing.
In view of the above SeyCCAT is looking for a consulting team/firm to identify and test revenue generating possibilities of seagrass, including but not limited to further exploring the concept of a Seagrass Conservation Pool to help channel financing towards seagrass conservation and restoration.
Please send an email to afaure@seyccat.org requesting a copy of the terms of reference and to find out what documents you will need to submit for the consultancy. Subject of your email should be consultancy for revenue generating possibilities for seagrass in Seychelles.
Deadline – Sunday 11th December, 6pm.
(c) Joanna Prosper