 A
two-day (14-15 May 2009) city consultation brought together officials from all
key city departments, including police and emergency services, some key national
agencies as well as numerous NGOs, faith-based organizations, CBOs and the private
sector. In total almost 100 participants were registered. The consultation deliberated
four proposition papers which had been prepared by the city’s technical working
group in response to the Vulnerability and Adaptation assessment conducted under
CCCI.
 The
consultations identified the following key priority areas: First: strengthening
environmental management and promoting Climate Change Mitigation through: solid
waste management, better urban transport planning and the rehabilitation of
upstream forests (which would also protect against downstream flooding) and
coastal zone management (in particular Mangrove forest rehabilitation). Second:
Improving housing and basic urban infrastructure to increase resilience to Climate
Change Impacts, including low cost housing, better building standards, improved
water drainage and improved seawalls and bridges. Third: enhancing disaster
risk reduction by shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach, including
the establishment of a disaster preparedness and response team within the local
government and the revision of the comprehensive land use plan. Last but not
least, the consultation agreed to develop a livelihood strategy to increase
resilience climate change impacts in the following sectors: fishing, farming
and tourism. It was further recommended to relocate the city market (prone to
flooding) and the planting of trees (coconut) as wind breakers and for livelihood
support.
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