(Seychelles News Agency) - A policy aimed at providing a blueprint to build climate change resilience in Seychelles in collaboration with regional and global partners was validated by representatives from the private and public sector on Thursday.

The validation workshop was held to provide guidance for governmental policy analysts, environment partners, NGOs, academia and other partners on actions for climate change in Seychelles.

“Since climate change is regarded as a cross-cutting issue, it is important for consultations with the stakeholders from the various sectors of the society,” said Elissa Lalande, the senior policy analyst for climate change.

Seychelles started developing a ‘National Climate Change Policy Framework’ to meet the country’s climate change challenge in June 2018. This culminated in an official launching in February.

The policy’s objectives are to advance the understanding of climate change and its impacts on Seychelles, build capacity and social empowerment at all levels. This will ensure adequate response to climate change and achieve a transition to a low carbon economy.

It will also ensure the mainstreaming and integration of climate change considerations into development planning and implementation in all relevant sectors and all levels of government.

“Every climate action that we take, no matter how insignificant it may seem, matters a lot, when a lot of people do them. If many people take actions that will reduce emissions, it will add up,” said Wills Agricole, the principal secretary for climate change.

He added that such actions “will send a message to leaders in the public and private sector that people want effective climate action and are willing to take it.”

A National Climate Change Council with members from the public and private sector as well as the civil society will be set up as the coordination mechanism for all the climate change works undertaken both nationally and internationally.

“The council will make sure that the policy is implemented and its members will also make sure that the 'National Climate Change Strategy' is updated and reviewed alongside the policy,” said Lalande.

Once finalised, the policy is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers towards the end of November 2019 before the United Nations Climate Change Conference known as COP 25 in Chile.