EXAMINING CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON COASTAL NATIONAL PARKS

Abstract

Over the past decade, the increase in extreme weather events requires each sector to reflect on vulnerabilities to develop strategies for ramping up climate action. Owing to the shortage of climate data, significant knowledge gaps exist in some sectors of society and the economy, particularly in developing countries such as Africa. This has caused challenges for adaptation and resilience building as governments and other stakeholders cannot leverage knowledge for policy and practice and to seek funding for climate change action. This study responds to this knowledge by examining sea level challenges and their implications on coastal national parks in South Africa. The key question for this study is the most at-risk areas regarding sea level in coastal national parks and the implications of sea level on coastal national parks. The study utilises primary, secondary and archival data to arrive at conclusions. The study also uses climate change modelling data from SSP2-4.5 and SSP3-7.0. The study found that the most vulnerable coastal park in South Africa is the Garden Route National Park, which has the highest sea level rise, which will result in the Knysna section followed by the Cape Point section of Table Mountain, which will see the areas witnessing a 1m rise in sea level around 2100. Sea level rise is a threat to infrastructure, heritage, beaches, tourism employees and tourist safety, to mention but a few. The study recommends scaling up climate change action to assist the parks in adapting and building climate change resilience.