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Ms. Leiska Powell

The impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas in Jamaica: The importance of Coastal Zone Management. Ms. Leiska Powell. The University of the West Indies and Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre Conference.

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Ms. Leiska Powell

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  1. The impact of Climate Change on Coastal Areas in Jamaica:The importance of Coastal Zone Management Ms. Leiska Powell

  2. The University of the West Indies and Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre Conference The Impact of Climate Change on the Coastal Areas of Jamaica: The Importance of Coastal Zone Management Climate Change: Impacts on the Caribbean June 15-17 Presentation by Leiska Powell

  3. Outline of Presentation • What is causing climate and impacts • What are coastal zones? • Importance of Coastal Areas is Jamaica • Impact of Climate Change on Jamaica’s Coastal Areas • Integrated Coastal Planning and Management • Case Study: Barbados • Conclusion

  4. What is causing Climate Change? • GHGs such as Carbon Dioxide, Methane and CFCs trap heat radiating from the earth’s surface • These GHGs prevent the heat from immediately escaping into space. • The part of the atmosphere that is closest to the earth’s surface warms, resulting in Global Warming.

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Critical Facts Cont’d 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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 US$1332.6m 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.

  11. Cont’d • 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 Jamaica’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. • Therefore, the marine environment should be incorporated into development planning agendas.

  12. Impact of Climate Change on Jamaica’s Coastal Areas

  13. Selected Hurricanes in the Caribbean and their Impact- 1988-2005

  14. Impacts of Hurricane Ivan • Hurricane Ivan impacted on 8% of the country’s GDP. • All productive sectors – agriculture and livestock, manufacturing, mining and tourism etc were affected. • Agricultural Sector- US$137.9 mi in damages. Approx. 8,000 farmers were out of work during the recovery phase as their farms were damaged. • Tourism Sector- US$25.7 mi damage and losses. • Total damage and losses caused by Hurricane Ivan – US$595 mi

  15. 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

  16. 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.

  17. 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

  18. Functions of ICPM Unit Cont’d 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

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

  23. Thank You

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