VZCZCXRO5764
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #0507/01 1120807
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220807Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0238
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0376

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENV AND AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV SOCI MZ
SUBJECT: MAPUTO UNPREPARED TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE 
IMPACTS 
 
¶1.  (U) This cable represents the first in a series of 
innovative collaboration in environment/science reporting 
between Embassies Maputo and Pretoria.  Embassy Pretoria ESTH 
Officer and Maputo Economic/Commercial officer visited 
environment and science projects 
in Niassa, Sofala and Cabo Delgado Provinces and met relevant 
government and private officials in Maputo during a March 
8-17, 2009 visit. 
 
¶2.  Summary.  Pretoria ESTH officer reviewed Maputo Municipal 
Council (MMC) Head of Social Affairs Dr. Alexandre Manguele's 
March 2009 presentation on climate change in Maputo. 
Manguele states that Maputo is "highly vulnerable" to natural 
disasters, especially hydro-meteorological (flood, droughts 
and cyclones).  Manguela believes that Maputo's strengths in 
combating potential climate change impacts include a 
decentralized organizational structure, a transparent 
government and improved managerial/technical capacities. 
Maputo lacks the managerial and technical skills to address 
climate change at the city level.  End summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND:  MAPUTO'S VULNERABILITIES 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Maputo has 1.1 million inhabitants, seventy percent of 
whom live in informal settlements.  Fifty-four percent live 
below the poverty line.  Approximately sixty percent of the 
city's inhabitants lack sanitation facilities.  Only about 
25-50 percent (depending on the area) of solid waste is 
collected.  Approximately fifty percent of Maputo's roads are 
paved.  Sea walls hold back the sea and must be continuously 
maintained or moved due to sea erosion. 
 
¶4.  Maputo's coastal zones, transportation systems, wetlands, 
urban agriculture, residences, and waste/water management 
systems are all vulnerable to potential impacts of climate 
change.  Cyclones damage dunes and coastal infrastructures, 
including houses.  High storm flows and sea rises cause 
increased erosion, increased road maintenance costs, and 
saltwater intrusion into the aquifer.  Temperature variations 
accelerate damage to roads and bridges, increasing 
maintenance costs.  Heavy precipitation causes floods, 
landslides, washouts, damaging housing and infrastructure. 
Manguela says Maputo will need new flood and storm water 
systems and different methods to control erosion to cope with 
anticipated climate change impacts.  Longer dry seasons could 
mean crop failures, drying of water reservoirs, and loss of 
habitat. 
 
¶5.  Maputo's Avenida Marginal which runs along the coast is 
gradually disappearing.  The sea is causing serious erosion 
problems including the uprooting of the casuarinas trees 
planted by the Portuguese to stop erosion.  On three islands 
located a few kilometers from the coast mangroves are 
disappearing, the water quality is degrading and 
desertification due to drought is increasing. 
 
¶6.  Xefina island, which has been home to sixty subsistence 
fishers, is slowly sinking into the sea.  Parts of a colonial 
airstrip have already disappeared.  Maputo Province Governor 
Rosa de Silva urged residents in February 2009 to help stop 
erosion by planting trees, the same trees residents have been 
chopping down for firewood.  (Comment:  Xefina served as a 
barrier reef for Maputo, protecting it from the full force of 
the Indian Ocean. If the island disappears completely, many 
Maputo neighborhoods will feel the impact of the ocean 
directly.  End Comment.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
MAPUTO'S STRATEGY ) IMPROVED URBAN DEVELOPMENT 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7.  Manguele states that Maputo is "highly vulnerable" to 
natural disasters, especially hydro-meteorological (flood, 
droughts and cyclones).  He provides the devastating floods 
of Feb/March 2000 as an example of this vulnerability.  Seven 
hundred people were killed and Maputo sustained $600 million 
worth of damages. 
 
¶8.  The Maputo Municipal Council (MMC) has developed a 
climate change two-phase development plan (PROMAPUTO) 
concentrating on improving municipal financing and integrated 
urban planning.  The first phase (2007-2009) includes 
rehabilitation of primary infrastructure (drainage systems, 
roads and coastal protection) and engagement of the private 
sector on issues such as waste collection.) 
 
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MAPUTO 00000507  002 OF 002 
 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  Manguela believes that Maputo's strengths in combating 
climate change include a decentralized organizational 
structure, a transparent government and improved 
managerial/technical capacities.  Weaknesses include a lack 
of managerial and technical capacity to address climate 
change at the city level.  He cautions that budget 
constraints and limited human resources remain severe gaps. 
 
¶10.  Manguela believes Maputo must take the following actions 
to effectively deal with adaptation/mitigation: 
-   Improve drainage/ storm water systems; 
-   Restore coastline protection dikes; 
-   Develop adaptation./mitigation urban plans; 
-   Improve solid waste management; 
-   Installation of ecological water treatment plants; and 
-   Implement Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. 
Manguela notes that the city has strong political will, but 
needs financial and technical assistance, including a 
multi-dimensional study of climate change impacts on Maputo. 
 
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Comment 
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¶11.  Maputo is a city that could be severely impacted by 
changes in its climate.  The city infrastructure is not able 
to handle any potential adverse impacts.  The city has no 
municipal climate change unit and no municipal employees with 
technical or managerial skills to staff such a unit.  There 
is political will, but additional programs sponsored by 
international donors will be essential in helping Maputo meet 
potential climate challenges.  End comment. 
Chapman