scholarly journals In Search of Higher Ground

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Russel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Political History ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
New Era ◽  
Extreme Risk ◽  
The World ◽  
First Time

The world is on the precipice of a new era in political history. For the first time in 400 years there will soon be fewer states in the world, as even the most modest estimates of sea level rise place the first of the small island Developing states (siDs), along with its population of over 13,000, underwater within the next 20 years. These are not the only states and individuals at extreme risk of soon finding themselves forcibly displaced by climate change.

Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Protecting Displaced Coastal Communities: Possible Solutions

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony George Puthucherril
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Zone Management ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Technological Support

Climate change and sea level rise are realities that are upon us and which will profoundly impact the lives and basic rights of millions of coastal residents all over the world. As the law stands both at the international and at certain national levels, the basic human rights of the climate displaced are not adequately protected. This paper identifies two possible displacement scenarios, based on the continued availability/non-availability of land in the face of sea level rise and other climate change impacts; namely, the sinking Small Island Developing States phenomeon, where land disappears and there is no surplus land to support habitation, and all other cases, where the coastal land is battered severely but it can be re-utilized through appropriate adaptation measures or even if coastal frontage land disappears there is still land available inland. On this basis, the paper proposes three possible solutions: (1) bilateral or regional treaties to facilitate resettlement of the inhabitants of sinking Small Island Developing States, (2) appropriate coastal climate change adaptation implemented via integrated coastal zone management and (3) creation of new arrangements under the international climate change regime to provide financial assistance and technological support to respond to both situations. Even though the primary focus of this paper is on coastal communities in South Asia, the lessons that it offers are relevant to other coastal contexts as well.

Climate Change and Changing Coasts

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive Schofield
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Coastal Ecosystems ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Relative Sea Level ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Global Sea Level

Sea level rise has provoked widespread concerns that low-lying parts of coastal States including parts or even the entirety of small island developing States face a looming threat of erosion and inundation. Concerns over the potential impacts of sea level rise on the location of baselines along the coast and therefore on the scope of national claims to maritime jurisdiction have also been raised. The article outlines climate change impacts on the oceans before briefly reviewing projections of sea level rise. A number of the complexities and uncertainties which make prediction of the scale and speed of global sea level rise problematic are highlighted. The importance of assessing relative sea level against the contrasting responses of coasts with diverse geophysical characteristics and distinct coastal ecosystems is emphasised. Potential impacts on island coastlines in the Pacific are then considered and implications maritime claims discussed.

scholarly journals The Vulnerability of Health Infrastructure to the Impacts of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise in Small Island Countries in the South Pacific

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863292110208
Author(s):  
Subhashni Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Marshall Islands ◽  
World Health ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Medical Facilities ◽  
Medical Infrastructure

Anthropogenic climate change and related sea level rise will have a range of impacts on populations, particularly in the low lying Pacific island countries (PICs). One of these impacts will be on the health and well-being of people in these nations. In such cases, access to medical facilities is important. This research looks at the medical facilities currently located on 14 PICs and how climate change related impacts such as sea level rise may affect these facilities. The medical infrastructure in each country were located using information from a range of sources such as Ministry of Health (MoH) websites, World Health Organization, Doctors Assisting in South Pacific Islands (DAISI), Commonwealth Health Online, and Google Maps. A spatial analysis was undertaken to identify medical infrastructure located within 4 zones from the coastline of each country: 0 to 50 m, 50 to 100 m, 100 to 200 m, and 200 to 500 m. The findings indicate that 62% of all assessed medical facilities in the 14 PICs are located within 500 m of the coast. The low-lying coral atoll countries of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Tokelau, and Tuvalu will be highly affected as all medical facilities in these countries fall within 500 m of the coast. The results provide a baseline analysis of the threats posed by sea-level rise to existing critical medical infrastructure in the 14 PICs and could be useful for adaptive planning. These countries have limited financial and technical resources which will make adaptation challenging.

THE DYNAMIC OF ADAPTIVE SHELTER: SEBUAH WADAH ADAPTIF-DINAMIS DI KAMPUNG NELAYAN, KAMAL MUARA

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1127
Author(s):  
Fransisca Handayani ◽  
Alvin Hadiwono
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Martin Heidegger ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Adaptive Dynamic ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
World Today ◽  
Christopher Alexander ◽  
The World ◽  
Natural Characteristics

"Dwelling" basically means living in a place. However, Dwelling itself has a broader meaning when we understand how humans decided to inhabit. In the book The Nature of Order, Christopher Alexander says "Dwelling is Living-Structure" which means to live is a life participating in a living-structure. This quote directly describes a relationship between nature and humans in the process of living. Seeing the conditions that exist in the world today, there are many aspects that can affect the way humans will live in the future. One of the problems that humans have to face is climate change which causes sea level rise. Realizing that humans must face these events and know that in reality, humans cannot be separated from their natural surroundings, "The Dynamic of Adaptive Shelter" was designed with the aim of wanting to unite aspects of habitation (especially nature and humans) as well as provide solutions for buildings that are adaptive to sea level rise. Located in Kamal Muara, North Jakarta, this project begins by studying the selected site, community activities, the shape of the buildings around the site, as well as the natural characteristics around the site, as a method that refers to a quote from Martin Heidegger's book about "the thing It-self". Referring to the results of the selected site, this project is complemented with programs that are suitable for the activities of the residents of the area and have been developed with systems which can adapt to the issue of sea level rise. Keywords:  Adaptive-Dynamic; Coastal; Dwelling; Fishermen ; Sea Level Rise Abstrak“Dwelling” atau Berhuni pada dasarnya memiliki arti hidup pada suatu tempat. Namun Dwelling sendiri memiliki arti yang lebih luas saat kita memahami awal mula manusia memutuskan untuk berhuni. Dalam buku The Nature of Order Christohper Alexander mengatakan “Dwelling is Living- Structure” yang berarti berhuni adalah hidup berpartisipasi dalam Struktur-kehidupan (Living- structure). Kutipan tersebut secara langsung menggambarkan sebuah keterkaitan antara alam dan manusia dalam menuju proses berhuni. Melihat kondisi yang ada didunia saat ini banyak aspek yang dapat mempengaruhi cara manusia berhuni dimasa depan. Salah satu permasalahan yang harus dihadapi manusia adalah perubahan iklim yang menyebabkan kenaikan permukaan air laut. Menyadari bahwa manusia harus menghadapi peristiwa tersebut dan mengetahuni bahwa pada dasarnya dalam proses berhuni manusia tidak terlepas dari alam sekitarnya, “Wadah Adaptif- Dinamis” dirancang dengan tujuan ingin mempersatukan aspek-aspek berhuni (khususnya alam dan manusia) dan juga memberikan solusi akan bangunan yang adaptif akan kenaikan permukaan air laut. Berlokasi di Kamal Muara, Jakarta Utara proyek ini diawali dengan mempelajari site terpilih, aktivitas masyarakat, bentuk bangunan sekitar tapak, dan juga karakteristik alam sekitar tapak, sebagaimana metode yang mengacu pada kutipan buku Martin Heidegger tentang “the thing It-self”. Mengacu pada hasil analisis tapak terpilih, proyek ini dilengkapi dengan program-program yang sesuai dengan aktifitas penduduk daerahnya dan telah dikembangkan dengan sistem-sistem yang mana dapat beradaptasi dengan kondisi alam sekitar dan menjawa isu akan kenaikan permukaan air laut.

scholarly journals Assessing the extreme risk of coastal inundation due to climate change: A case study of Rongcheng, China

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiqing Feng ◽  
Jiangbo Gao ◽  
Shaohong Wu ◽  
Yanzhong Li ◽  
Xiliu Yue
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Rcp Scenarios ◽  
Extreme Water Levels ◽  
Extreme Risk ◽  
Extreme Flood

Abstract. Extreme water levels, caused by the joint occurrence of storm surges and high tides, always lead to super floods along coastlines. Given the ongoing climate change, this study explored the risk of future sea-level rise on the extreme inundation by combining P-III model and losses assessment model. Taking Rongcheng as a case study, the integrated risk of extreme water levels was assessed for 2050 and 2100 under three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios of 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5. Results indicated that the increase in total direct losses would reach an average of 60 % in 2100 as a 0.82 m sea-level rise under RCP 8.5. In addition, affected population would be increased by 4.95 % to 13.87 % and GDP (Gross Domestic Product) would be increased by 3.66 % to 10.95 % in 2050 while the augment of affected population and GDP in 2100 would be as twice as in 2050. Residential land and farmland would be under greater flooding risk in terms of the higher exposure and losses than other land-use types. Moreover, this study indicated that sea-level rise shortened the recurrence period of extreme water levels significantly and extreme events would become common. Consequently, the increase in frequency and possible losses of extreme flood events suggested that sea-level rise was very likely to exacerbate the extreme risk of coastal zone in future.

An Overview of Climate Change and Impacts on Food Security in Small Island Developing States

2014 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
T. Grady Roberts ◽  
Mary T. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Regional Climate Change ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Coastal Zones ◽  
Small Island Developing States ◽  
Climate Change Projections ◽  
The World

Our climate is changing and this will impact food security around the world. The impacts from climate change will not be evenly felt around the world. Some of the most vulnerable areas will be coastal zones and island territories. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are especially vulnerable. This chapter provides an overview of climate change, discusses climate change projections, and then highlights specific regional climate change projections. It then discusses how SIDS can respond to climate change, introduces gender as a variable to consider when discussing climate change, and concludes by emphasizing the importance of monitoring and evaluation.

Developing future sea level services for Small Island Developing States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Jevrejeva ◽  
Judith Wolf ◽  
Andy Matthews ◽  
Joanne Williams ◽  
David Byrne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Water Level ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Caribbean Islands ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
And Sea Level

<p>The Caribbean islands encompass some of the most vulnerable coastlines in terms of sea level rise, exposure to tropical cyclones, changes in waves and storm surges. Climate in the Caribbean is already changing and sea level rise impacts are already being felt. Considerable local and regional variations in the rate, magnitude, and direction of sea-level change can be expected as a result of thermal expansion, tectonic movements, and changes in ocean circulation. Governments in the Caribbean recognise that climate change and sea level rise are serious threats to the sustainable development and economic growth of the Caribbean islands and urgent actions are required to increase the resilience and make decisions about how to adapt to future climate change (Caribbean Marine Climate Change Report Card 2017; IPCC 2014).</p><p>As part of the UK Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme and through collaboration with local stakeholders in St Vincent, we have identified particular areas at risk from changing water level and wave conditions. The Caribbean Sea, particularly the Lesser Antilles, suffers from limited observational data due to a lack of coastal monitoring, making numerical models even more important to fill this gap. The current projects brings together improved access to tide gauge observations, as well as global, regional and local water level and wave modelling to provide useful tools for coastal planners.</p><p>We present our initial design of a coastal data hub with sea level information for stakeholder access in St. Vincent and Grenadines, Grenada and St Lucia, with potential development of the hub for the Caribbean region. The work presented here is a contribution to the wide range of ongoing activities under the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme in the Caribbean, falling within the work package “Development of a coastal data hub for stakeholder access in the Caribbean region”, under the NOC led projects “Climate Change Impact Assessment: Ocean Modelling and Monitoring for the Caribbean CME states”.</p>

Relocate People to Safer Ground

2019 ◽  
pp. 169-188
Author(s):  
Hill and
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Sudden Onset ◽  
Economic Opportunity ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
Slow Onset

Whether the world is prepared for it or not, climate change will drive large-scale migration. The impacts of climate change—both slow-onset changes, such as sea-level rise and drought, and sudden-onset events, such as extreme storms and wildfires—push people from their homes. Managed well, migration can yield enormous benefits, offering greater opportunities for those who relocate and injecting new talent and energy into receiver communities. But climate change threatens to unleash “disruptive migration,” that is, sudden migration that could strain social, economic, and political stability. The task ahead in the face of climate change is to encourage managed, gradual migration that minimizes disruption, moves people out of harm’s way, and turns displacement into economic opportunity. This chapter outlines the strategies and tools that exist to make this possible.

scholarly journals Impact Assessment of Storm Surge and Climate Change-Enhanced Sea Level Rise on Atoll Nations: A Case Study of the Tarawa Atoll, Kiribati

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrius Sabūnas ◽  
Takuya Miyashita ◽  
Nobuki Fukui ◽  
Tomoya Shimura ◽  
Nobuhito Mori
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Storm Surge ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
Exposed Population ◽  
The Impact

The Pacific region consists of numerous Small Island Developing States (SIDS), one of the most vulnerable to flooding caused by compound effects of sea level rise (SLR) and storms. Nevertheless, individual studies regarding the impact assessment for SIDS, such as the low-lying Kiribati, remain scarce. This study assessed the impact of climate change-induced storm surge and SLR compounding effects on Tarawa, the most populous atoll of Kiribati, the largest coral atoll nation. It projected the impact using a combined dynamic surge and SLR model based on the IPCC AR5 RCP scenarios and 1/100 and 1/50 years return period storm events. This approach allows estimating the inundation scope and the consecutive exposed population by the end of the 21st century. The results of this study show that the pace of SLR is pivotal for Tarawa, as the sea level rise alone can claim more than 50% of the territory and pose a threat to over 60% of the population under the most intense greenhouse gas emissions scenario. Furthermore, most coasts on the lagoon side are particularly vulnerable. In contrast, the contribution of extreme events is generally minimal due to low wind speeds and the absence of tropical cyclones (TC). Despite this, it is clear the compound effects are critical and may inescapably bring drastic changes to the atoll nations by the end of this century. The impact assessment in this study draws attention to the social impact of climate change on SIDS, most notably atoll islands, and evaluates their adaptation potential.

scholarly journals The Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Tourism Small Islands a Case Study of Wenzhou Island during the Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic Period

CONVERTER ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 236-241
Author(s):  
Yichia Lin, Wenlung Chang, Wongchai Anupong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Small Islands ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
The Impact

During the COVID-19 pandemic period, island tourism experienced a severe impact. Island tourism is a thriving tourism model, but it is greatly affected by the SLR (sea level rise) due to climate change. Small island tourism must to face flooding problems that cause sea-level rise. GIS can be used to plan and monitor land use. This case study uses GIS (Geography information system) pre-COVID-19 pandemic period to predict flooding at different scales. After three different scales of digitization processing, it is found that: Overall, the flood area is located in the northern part of the island. The relationship is consistent, that is, the flood season is directly proportional to the peak tourist season. Sea level rise will cause changes in tourist attractions on the island; residents' daily lives will face major changes. This study provides a small amount of inundation scale predictions at different scales; hopes to be helpful for the island’s tourism resource planning and residents’ adaptation. To avoid add climate change refugees and rational use of tourism resources on lack nature resource small islands.

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