eritrea's initial national communication under the unfccc

Eritrea's Initial National Communication under the UNFCCC

A. The Country: Some Facts

Location: Eritrea located in the Horn of Africa:

Borders: Sudan - West; Ethiopia - South; Djibouti-

Southeast and Red Sea-East

Population: 3.5 x 106, growing at 2.7-3% per annum

GDP per capita: USD 200.00

Ecology varies from desert to sub-humid temperate climate in elevations ranging from 0 - over 2300 m.a.s.l

High ecological variation due to high topographic variation


Figure 1: Agro-ecological zones of Eritrea

High variability of precipitation with negative impacts on crop/ livestock productiongrazing lands water availability - human/ livestock consumption and for irrigation

High potential in Fisheries potential to sustainable catch of 70,000 tons per year envisaged current annual fish catch is about 13,000 tons per year

Industry/Mining: at its initial development but there are good prospects in future


B.The Process:

Institutional Arrangement The Project: Climate Change Enabling Activity Project

Implementing Agency: UNDP

Executing Agency: Department of Environment, Ministry of Land Water and Environment

Date of project start: 1998

Date of project completion: 2001

Date of Submission of National Communication: 10 September 2002

National Coordination

Establishment of a National Core Planning Team (CPT), coordinated by the National Focal Point National Project Director (National Focal Point)National Project Coordinator


Modalities of Implementation

Hiring of local consulting firm

Hiring of international consulting firm (CEEST)

Teams established to assist implementation process

GHG inventory/ identification of mitigation options and policies coordinated by CPT - Energy sector

V and A assessment of agricultural sector coordinated by CPT, - Agricultural sector

V and A assessment, - Forestry, coordinated by CPT, - Agricultural sector


Modalities of Implementation

V and A assessment of water - coordinated by CPT, - Water sector

V and A assessment of - health, coordinated by CPT, - Health sector

V and A assessment of - coastal zone, coordinated by CPT, - Fisheries sector

Organization of seminars, meetings, seminars and workshops, including training workshops to properly run models


C. National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Inventory of GHG conducted using the revised 1996 IPCC guideline and adopting IPCC default values.

Inventory taken for Carbondioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Carbon monoxide (CO) and Non-Methane volatile compounds (NMVOCs)

Inventory addressed six sectors: energy, transport, industry, agriculture, LUCF and municipal solid waste.

CO2 constitutes by far the greatest share of GHG

Main source of CO2 are LUCF (70%) and fossil fuel combustion for energy use (28%)


Contribution of Biomass to the total Energy supply

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Fuel wood Charcoal Dung Agr.residue

TOTAL FINAL ENERGY SUPPLY IN ERITREA

Biomass

oil

Electricity

Figure 2 : Total Final Energy Supply

Figure 3: Contribution of Biomass to Total Energy


Limitations of the National GHG Inventory

Lack of country specific emission factors and emission ratios

Lack of time series data

Uncertainties not assessed

D. Current Mitigation Activities

Afforestation/reforestation programs

Enhancement of natural vegetation (closures)


Increase of energy efficiency/conservation

Introduction of new power plant has reduced consumption of heavy fuel oil from 220 grams to 170 grams to produce 1 kWh of electricity. This is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by around 45,000 tons in 2002, assuming 300 GWh of electricity generated

Technical loss in transmission and distribution system has also been reduced at least by 50%

Increasing efficiency of traditional stoves:

Efficiency of traditional stoves has increased from 10% to 21%.

Initial calculations suggest that CO2 reduction potential per improved stove is around 0.6 tons per year.


Development and introduction of renewablesWind Energy: study in progress in southern coastal areas of Eritrea Solar PV: An aggregate capacity of over 500kW have been installed. Around 1.6 tons of CO2 is abated for each kW of renewable energy installed.

Expansion of LPG in rural areasMitigation in transport sector:

Transport sector constituted 41% of total CO2 emissions in 1994

Minimal tax for public busesEncouragement of non-motorized vehicles Introduction of regulatory frames that prohibit importation of older vehicles


E. Assessment of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change

Use of UK89 mode to formulate climate change scenario:-

An increase of 4.1 oC for doubling of CO2 over the next century has been predicted.

Rainfall expected to increase slightly.

Vulnerability and Adaptation assessment

Agriculture: sorghum and barley selected for V and A

Water resources: Gash - Barka drainage basin selected for V and A


Forestry:

-Division of potential forest cover zones for current and future climate change scenarios (using Holdridge model)

-Prediction of plant species composition, vegetation structure etc. (using Forest Gap Model)

-The results of the models have received serious reservations by concerned experts

Coastal zone: Port city of Massawa (situated from below sea level - 1:0 m above sea level) selected to demonstrate effects of climate change.

-Analysis showed sea level to increase by 0.5m - 1.0m

-Loss estimated at about 257.0 million due to sea level rise.


Human health: Due to increase of temperature and a slight increase of precipitation, the spread of malaria is expected to spread from its present situation. Currently there are indications that malaria is spreading to highland areas, an unusual occurrence in the past.

Problems encountered in vulnerability and adaptation assessment.

Application of GCMs in high topographic variations


F. Policy MeasuresPoverty reduction Environmental policies

Land degradation (NAP)NBSAPMarine and coastal environment Use of EIAEnergy and transport sectors

-Introduction and expansion of renewables

-Energy efficiency

-Regulation of importation of old vehicles

-Use of efficient public transport systems


G. Public awareness, education and training

Public awareness

Use of media to broadcast selected materials

Preparation of Eritrea's Initial National Communication

Education and Training

Integration of environmental education into the national educational system

Establishment of certificate, diploma and degree levels


H. Research and Systematic Observation

Systematic Observation

Problem: Lack of a strong national meteorological center for achieving an efficient national climate and resource information system.

Proposed solutions:

Establishment of a strong and effective institution to manage a national observation system

Development of human resource capacity in technical, scientific and management aspects

Introduction of state- of- the- art communication and information technology.


Research

Short term: applied type of research focusing on:-

Development of policy guideline

Formulation of natural resources management strategies

Mitigation of natural hazards and setting up of a national early warning system

Long term: high level research on climate change and the environment by building upon the capacities and capabilities outlined above.


I. Financial and capacity needs Strength the National Focal PointStrength early warning systems Develop national climate and resource information systems

Climate and meteorology, water resources and hydrology Ecology and agriculture Energy resources Marine resources

Develop research capacities to undertake adaptation work on agriculture, land management, water resources, coastal zone and fisheries, infrastructure development, human health, energy and transport.


J. Implementation

CPT (Core Planing Team)

National Climate Change Secretariat

Sustainable Funding


End of Presentation

eritrea's initial national communication under the unfccc

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