The impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas in Jamaica: The importance of Coastal Zone Management

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The impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas in
JamaicaThe importance of Coastal Zone
Management
Ms. Leiska Powell
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The Impact of Climate Change on the Coastal Areas
of Jamaica The Importance of Coastal Zone
Management
The University of the West Indies and
Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre
Conference
Climate Change Impacts on the Caribbean
June 15-17

• Presentation by Leiska Powell

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Outline of Presentation

• What is causing climate and impacts
• What are coastal zones?
• Importance of Coastal Areas is Jamaica
• Impact of Climate Change on Jamaicas Coastal
  Areas
• Integrated Coastal Planning and Management
• Case Study Barbados
• Conclusion

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What is causing Climate Change?

• GHGs such as Carbon Dioxide, Methane and CFCs
  trap heat radiating from the earths surface
• These GHGs prevent the heat from immediately
  escaping into space.
• The part of the atmosphere that is closest to the
  earths surface warms, resulting in Global
  Warming.

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Impacts Resulting from Climate Change

• The impacts are expected to include the
  following
• Average temperature rise in the region of
  approximately 3ºC by 2080
• Average sea level rise of 5 mm/year over the next
  century
• Increased intensity and potentially increased
  frequency of extreme weather events such as
  hurricanes
• Changing patterns of rainfall

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Critical Facts

• SIDS account for less than 1 of GHG emissions
  (IPCC, 2001).
• However, SIDS are among the most vulnerable to
  the potential adverse effects of climate change
  and sea level rise.
• This is because SIDS are
• 1. Ecological Fragile
• 2. Small in size
• 3.Geographic dispersion

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Critical Facts Contd

• 4. Vulnerability to natural disasters
• 5. Limited natural resources
• 6. Isolation from markets
• 7. Limited commodities and dependence on
  imports
• 8. Vulnerability to external economic and
  financial shocks.

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What are Coastal Zones?

• Define using two approaches
• 1. Physical- It views the coast from a
  spatial perspective, incorporating all those
  areas that drain out to the sea and , those
  that are periodically inundated by tides
  This definition embraces the coastal
  watersheds, plains and shoreline the rivers,
  and wetlands that drain them and the
  beaches, seagrass beds, reefs and other
  marine formations.
• 2. Stresses relationships and interaction
  that are linked by physical, biological or human
  interactions as a result of tides, drainage,
  waste discharge, storms, resource utilization etc.

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Benefits that Coastal Ecosystems Provide

• Provide benefits under four categories
• 1. Regulating- protection of shores from
  storm surges and waves prevention of
  erosion and water quality maintenance.
• 2. Provisioning- fisheries, medicines and
  construction materials.
• 3. Cultural- tourism and recreation,
  spiritual and aesthetic appreciation.
• 4. Supporting- cycling of nutrients, fish
  nursery habitat.

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Importance of Coastal Areas in Jamaica

• It is a source of livelihood
• Generates millions of dollars- eg. Tourism
  foreign exchange earnings in 2000 estimated at
  US1332.6m and approx. 20 (directly and
  indirectly ) of employed labour force.
• As a result, approx. 2/3 of the population live
  in coastal towns and cities and most commercial
  and industrial activities are concentrated along
  the coast.

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Contd

• However, coastal ecosystems undergo stress from
  competing multi-usage demands often result in
  conflicts and the destruction of the functional
  integrity of the resource system.
• Degradation of coastal resources can increase
  Jamaicas vulnerability to the impacts of climate
  change.
• Therefore, the marine environment should be
  incorporated into development planning agendas.

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Impact of Climate Change on Jamaicas Coastal
Areas
Change Factor Potential Impacts on the Coast
Sea Level Rise 1. Flooding and inundation of low lying areas and coastal communities
Sea Level Rise 2. Dislocation of coastal communities
Sea Level Rise 3. Land loss
Sea Level Rise 4. Saltwater intrusion
Hurricanes/ Storm Surge 1. Increased coastal erosion and damage to coastal infrastructure and buildings
Hurricanes/ Storm Surge 2. Loss of Tourism Investments and subsequent negative impact on employment
Hurricanes/ Storm Surge 3. Increased likelihood of flooding
Hurricanes/ Storm Surge 4. Increased risk to human life and risk of infectious disease
Hurricanes/ Storm Surge 5. Damage to coastal resources such as coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves
Temperature 1. Coral bleaching from higher sea surface temperatures
Rainfall 1. Increased rainfall duration/intensity may result in higher incidence of flooding
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Selected Hurricanes in the Caribbean and their
Impact- 1988-2005
Hurricane Year Country Impact (GDP )
Gilbert 1988 Jamaica 65
Hugo 1989 Monsterrat 200
Debbie 1994 St.Lucia 18
Luis and Marilyn 1995 Antigua 65
Luis and Marilyn 1995 St.Kitts and Nevis 85
George 1998 St.Kitts and Nevis 50 (sugar Harvest)
Lenny 1999 Barbuda 95
Michelle 2001 Jamaica 1
Ivan 2004 Grenada 200
Ivan 2004 Jamaica 8
Dennis and Emily 2005 Jamaica 1
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Impacts of Hurricane Ivan

• Hurricane Ivan impacted on 8 of the countrys
  GDP.
• All productive sectors agriculture and
  livestock, manufacturing, mining and tourism etc
  were affected.
• Agricultural Sector- US137.9 mi in damages.
  Approx. 8,000 farmers were out of work during the
  recovery phase as their farms were damaged.
• Tourism Sector- US25.7 mi damage and losses.
• Total damage and losses caused by Hurricane Ivan
  US595 mi

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Integrated Coastal Planning and Management (ICPM)

• ICPM is dynamic process in which a
  coordinated strategy is developed and
  implemented for the allocation of
  environmental, socio-cultural and institutional
  resources to achieve the conservation and
  sustainable use of the coastal zone
  (Sorensen, 1993).
• It is an evolutionary and iterative process
• Responds to changing conditions-effects of
  climate change

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Goals of ICPM

• The goals of ICPM are to
• 1. promote sustainable development of
  coastal areas
• 2. reduce the vulnerability of the
  coastal zone and their people to hazards
• 3. maintain essential ecological
  processes, life support systems and
  biological diversity.

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Functions of ICPM Unit/Agency

• Area Planning- plan for present and future uses
  of coastal and marine areas, that is, long-term
  vision.
• Promotion of Economic Development-promote
  appropriate uses of coastal and marine area eg.
  tourism
• Stewardship of Resources-protect the ecological
  base of coastal and marine areas e.g. preserve
  biodiversity and ensure sustainable use

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Functions of ICPM Unit Contd

• 4. Conflict Resolution- harmonize and balance
  existing and potential uses and address conflict
  among the various uses.
• 5. Protection of Public Safety- protect public
  safety in coastal areas typically prone to nat.
  as well as human made hazards.
• 6. Proprietorship of Public Submerged Lands and
  Waters-manage govt. held areas and resources
  wisely.

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ICPM Unit- Barbados

• ICPM Unit was established in 1996, was seen as
• 1. best way for maintaining effective
  management of the coastline
• 2. crucial to Barbados surviving climate
  change impacts.
• Examples of the functions performed by the Unit
  coral reef monitoring, enforcement of building
  set-backs and zoning of ecologically sensitive
  areas, public education, beach erosion monitoring
  and control and review of coastal projects etc.

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Results Achieved

• Preparation of an Integrated Coastal Management
  Plan for the entire island.
• Training in key specialist areas- coastal
  engineering, GIS, hydrographic surveying.
• A variety of oceanographic, coastal and
  ecological monitoring programmes established.
• Design and implementation of appropriate
  solutions to deal with beach and coastal erosion
  problems etc.

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Conclusion
Relationship between Economy, Society and
Environment

• There is a close relationship between the
  ecological, economic and social systems.
• Global climate change will impact on all these
  systems
• As such, to maximize flexibility and enhance
  resilience and adaptation, appropriate policies
  and national planning much integrate all three
  (3) systems.

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Recommendations

• Need to establish an Integrated Coastal Planning
  and Management Unit.
• Updating Development Orders for the Coastal Zone
• Enforcement of Coastal Setback Distances

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• Thank You

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