Climate Change And Island And Coastal Vulnerability

"Climate Change and Island and Coastal Vulnerability” is the outcome of a selection of peer reviewed edited papers presented at the International Workshop on Climate Change and Island Vulnerability (IWCCI) held at Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep, India in October 2010. Marine and coastal biodiversity, sea level rise vulnerability, fisheries, climate change impact on livelihood options, water and sanitation in island ecosystem and mitigation, adaptation and governance are the focal themes. The basic concept conveyed in the book is that biodiversity of islands is to be protected as a natural mechanism to mitigate climate change. Probability recurrence of mass coral bleaching and the management of coral reefs and their future protection are discussed in this book. Marine productivity and climate change for the last ten thousand years in the Arabian Sea have been examined with core records. Green technology is suggested as an important tool for mitigation and adaptation programmes in climate change. Measures taken to project biomass utilisation of islands as an energy source is delineated. Climate change may pose a potential threat on human health. Improved sanitation packages and models that are cost effective and environment-friendly for islands are uniquely presented in this book.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

This book explores how vulnerable and resilient communities from SIDS are affected by climate change; proposes and, where possible, evaluates adaptation activities; identifies factors capable of enhancing or inhibiting SIDS people’s long-term ability to deal with climate change; and critiques the discourses, vocabularies, and constructions around SIDS dealing with climate change. The contributions, written by well-established scholars, as well as emerging authors and practitioners, in the field, include conceptual papers, coherent methodological approaches, and case studies from the communities based in the Caribbean Sea and the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. In their introduction, the editors contextualise the book within the current literature. They emphasise the importance of stronger links between climate change science and policy in SIDS, both to increase effectiveness of policy and also boost scholarly enquiry in the context of whose communities are often excluded by mainstream research. This book is timely and appropriate, given the recent commission by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of a Special Report that aims at addressing vulnerabilities, “especially in islands and coastal areas, as well as the adaptation and policy development opportunities” following the Paris Agreement. Coupled with this, there is also the need to support the policy community with further scientific evidence on climate change–related issues in SIDS, accompanying the first years of implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Developed to inform the 2013 National Climate Assessment, and a landmark study in terms of its breadth and depth of coverage and conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities examines the known effects and relationships of climate change variables on the coasts of the U.S. This state of the art assessment comes from a broad range of experts in academia, private industry, state and local governments, NGOs, professional societies, and impacted communities. It includes case studies on topics such as adaptive capacity; climate change effects on. It highlights past climate trends, projected climate change and vulnerabilities, and impacts to specific sectors. Rich in science and case studies, it examines the latest climate change impacts, scenarios, vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity for nine major coastal regions of the United States and provides essential guidance for decision-makers – as well as environmental academics, professionals, and advocates – who seek to better understand how climate variability and change impact the US coasts and its communities.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of research and projects regarding climate change adaptation in coastal areas, providing government and nongovernment bodies with a sound basis to promote climate change adaptation efforts.According to the 5th Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), coastal zones are highly vulnerable to climate change, and climate-driven impacts may be further exacerbated by other human-induced pressures. Apart from sea-level rise, which poses a threat to both human well-being and property, extreme events such as cyclones and storm surges lead not only to significant damage to property and infrastructure, but also to salt water intrusion, groundwater salinisation, and intensified soil erosion, among many other problems. There are also numerous negative impacts on the natural environment and biodiversity, including damage to important wetlands and habitats that safeguard the overall ecological balance, and consequently the provision of ecosystem services and goods on which the livelihoods of millions of people depend. As such, there is a need for a better understanding of how climate change affects coastal areas and communities, and for the identification of processes, methods and tools that can help the countries and communities in coastal areas to adapt and become more resilient. It is against this background that this book has been produced. It includes papers written by scholars, social movements, practitioners and members of governmental agencies, pursuing research and/or executing climate change projects in coastal areas and working with coastal communities. Focusing on “managing climate change in coastal regions”, it showcases valuable lessons learned from research and field projects and presents best practices to foster climate change adaptation in coastal areas and communities, which can be implemented elsewhere.