Assessing coastal vulnerability and climate resilience for Caribbean small island states using ecological principles

Abstract

Climate Change challenges small island developing nations (SIDS) whose economies are heavily dependent on touristic coastal development. Climate change, as a driver of coastal impacts, is manifested by increased storm intensity as well as sea level rise. The intersection of climate hazards, exposure and vulnerability is the overall risk of coastal impacts. Ecological principles can be applied to simple Coastal Indices (CVI) to establish priorities for mitigation focused on risky development areas to direct population growth to lower risk areas. This research examines one island within the Bahamian archipelago to demonstrate how ecological principles can be applied to quantify vulnerability and recommend high-priority sites for restoration or remediation. This study aims to quantify vulnerability of coastlines through an assessment of coastal vegetation setbacks, intact wetlands and coastal geomorphology. The aim is to produce a tool to identify highly vulnerable/highly exposed coastlines that can be specifically targeted for risk reduction through cost-benefit analyses of response options. The vulnerability assessment was quantitative and allowed the ranking of coastal environments on one island to set priorities for remediation of highly vulnerable sites. Tools that identify at-risk coastal areas allow small Caribbean nations more time to adapt their infrastructure and relocate populations.