1. REPUBLIC OF BENIN Initial National Communication Submitted to COP8 through the UNFCCC Secretariat 23rd OCTOBER 2002

2. Contents of the National Communication An Executive Summary 05 chapters Annexes

3. National Data Demographic Surface area: 1l2,622 km 2 Population: 5.8 millions (1998) Growth rate: 2.8 per year Economic LDC GDP: 738.6 billionsFCFA (1998) GDP/inhbt: 234,600FCFA Primary sector: 38.4% in 1997, Secondary sector: 13.7% Thirdly sector: 48.9%

4. National Data Land use and land cover Land cultivable: 62% Cultivation: 8% Reserves and protected areas: 26% Destruction of woodlands: 100 000 ha per year Energy Energy consumption per year: 0,28tep per inhbt Biomass: 68% Petroleum: 30% Electricity: 2%

5. National GHG inventory Basic year 1995 Covering seven gases CO 2, CH 4, N 2 O, CO, NOx NMVOC, SO 2 sectors addressed: Energy, Agriculture, LUCF, Industry and waste

6. Sectors Absorption of GHG Gg Emissions of GHG Gg CO 2 CH 4 NO 2 CONOxNMVOCSO 2 Energy---694.8912.0030.1642243.258.5428.067 industrial process ---96.43 0.160.17 Agriculture 1789.141.9642270.6 6 42.01 Land use change and forestry 62108.1614242.7514.810.10129.613.68 Waste 11.02389.1030,3021.630.02903 0.0000 02 TOTAL Gg ECO 2 62108.16 15045.09 15045,09 1825.06 38326.26 2.53 784.3 2645.1 5 54,2628.2270.17

7. Synthesis of GHG emissions in 1995 SectorsContribution on GHG emissions in ECO2 Agriculture70.50% Land change and forestery 26.93% Energy1.84% Waste0.55% Industries0.18%

8. Comments Emissions: 54155.65 Gg de CO2; Carbon absorption estimated at 62108.16Gg; No projection made because CC:Train studies didn’t use the same year as base line and these studies have not covered the LUCF sector; We ought to rectify this lack in the second National Communication.

9. Strategies for mitigation Energy sector Two sub-sectors have been targeted: - Sub-sector of residence Assistance program for the acquisition of improved hotbed and stoves Extension of fuelwood and gas-powered stoves. – Sub sector of transport Strict monitoring of imported vehicle fleet; Promotion and development of public transport For each option, we have identified the measures and the constraints to reach our targets

10. Vulnerability and Adaptation 1 The climate are recently marqued with decrease of rainfalls and strength spatio-temporel variabilities Methodology - Scenarios of climate change are elaborated, focus on temperature and rainfall ® dynamics toward 2100; - Simulations have been done on Magicc Scengen - Definition of 4 scenarii T et R

11. Vulnerability and Adaptation 2 Focus on the more important sector for the national economy - Agriculture: is very exposed to climate change; Estimations on the basis of CROP MODEL show the fall of harvesting 3 to 18% for all crops Adaptation Selection of adapted and tolerant varieties (Targeted Crops) Promote of hydroagricultural installations.

12. Vulnerability and Adaptation 3 - Coastal area: Lakes Nokoue et Aheme High salinization of rivers; Reduction in the fauna with appearance of new species; Disappearance of mangrove and destruction of natural spawning grounds; Loose of biodiversity Adaptation Drege and restock sand from the lacs; Introduce new euryhalite species; Improve the production of lakes Promote aquaculture Reforest banks of preclude water courses

13. Vulnerability and Adaptation 4 Shoreline 1954 to 1995: 50 m of retreating Disappearance of villages and parts of cities; Estimations outcome a retreat of 50 m for 2025 and 100 m for the year 2050 if no protective sea- wall is envisaged Adaptation - Constuction of groyes; - Building of protective sea-walls brought closer together - Construction of break waters - Sand sucking

14. National efforts towards the prevention of CC National efforts towards the prevention of CC Benin has become aware of the stakes linked to development and environment. Many plans, programs, projects and studies have been elaborated; Identification of 4 adaptation projects in the NC: - GHG mitigation - Mitigation of GHG through the fostering of public transport - Benin coastal protection - Study of the functioning of low grounds in the sudanese zones of North-Benin

15. Conclusion N.C.: challenge Development of National CC Network Learning by doing experiences; Expertise Collect of a lot of Data Sensibilisation of stakeholders Problems - Lack of data and Information - Low level of national expertise - Use of approximative data - Lack of regional emissions factors - Lack of usefull model for V&A studies

16. Recommandations Strengthen National capacities by training in university level Elaborate a data base on CC in LDCs Make more efforts in translation of documents Elaborate specific emission factors Make significant efforts to help developing countries to implement the articles 4.1 and 12.1 of UNFCCC.