Risk of Degradation and Coastal Flooding Hazard on Geoheritage in Protected Areas of the Semi-arid Coast of Brazil

Abstract

Geoconservation should be incorporated in the discussions regarding climate change impacts on geoheritage degradation, especially in coastal areas that are directly affected by extreme climate events. The geoheritage degradation risk in protected areas of the Brazilian semi-arid coast was assessed using a quantitative method. A correlation with the tidal flooding hazard predicted with the climate change scenario was also considered for the study areas. The results show that most of the geosites assessed present a high risk of degradation due, mainly, to their exposure to negligence and inadequate public management regarding their uses. All geosites located in the plain areas are exposed to the risk of flooding by rising tides, which is associated with human action and leads to worrying scenarios regarding the loss of scientific and aesthetic values. The collected data support the need to rethink geoheritage management in protected areas and the mitigation of problems that may become major threats in conjunction with global climate change.