Burundi’s second National Communications on Climate Change: Why is it urgent to address the increasing vulnerability to Climate Change

[Kimbowa Richard]

Yesterday, I attended the launch of Burundi’s second National Communications on Climate Change - a report on the steps a country is taking or envisage undertaking to implement the UNFCCC (Articles 4.1 and 12).

In accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" enshrined in this Convention, the required contents of these national communications and the timetable for their submission is different for Annex I (developed) and non-Annex I (developing country) Parties.

Supported by UNDP and GEF, Burundi prepared its second national report (2006 – 2009) that has been launched in Cancun. Like many East African Countries, Burundi is faced with food insecurity that has been aggravated by unstable climate conditions affecting the this region in recent years.

For example, the World Bank has drawn attention to the exceptionally high rate of deforestation in Burundi, estimated at 9% per year between 1996 and 2000. This has contributed to degradation of soil, marshlands and possibly the reduction in the water level of Lake Tanganyika.

This Second National Communications underscored the vulnerability of Burundi to Climate Change that span a range of development sectors including agriculture and livestock, health, water for production, energy and management of ecosystems (same like in the initial National Communications). This state of affairs is no different from many LDCs that urgently need support to ‘cushion’ themselves against both the predictable and unpredictable impacts of climate change.

Such vulnerable countries need capacity building support to secure that communities are able to ‘d.... For example both Burundi’s NAPA and the second National Communications identify a wide range of potential micro projects that need the support of the affected communities, Government, Civil Society and development partners.

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