Abstract

Karlsson, M., B. Van Oort, and B. Romstad. 2015. What we have lost and cannot become: societal outcomes of coastal erosion in southern Belize. Ecology and Society 20(1): 4. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07050-200104

Highlights

  • Coastal erosion linked to natural and anthropogenic factors is a problem in the Caribbean region, including Belize (Fuller and Wilson 2002, Lewsey et al 2004, Cambers 2009)

  • LOCAL AND SOCIETAL OUTCOMES Based on the interview findings and a literature review, we identified five categories of valuable objects at risk affected by coastal erosion and riverine changes: social activities, properties, sacred sites, current livelihood stability, and future development opportunities (Table 1)

  • Recalling our objectives, we have used a relational perspective on risk and loss to analyze societal outcomes of coastal change in Monkey River village, Belize

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Summary

Introduction

Coastal erosion linked to natural and anthropogenic factors is a problem in the Caribbean region, including Belize (Fuller and Wilson 2002, Lewsey et al 2004, Cambers 2009). In Belize, approximately 45% of the population lives within 10 km of the coastline, and much of the country’s economic activity and important infrastructure are located in the coastal zone (Richardson 2009, Simpson et al 2012). Driven climate change impacts, including sea-level rise and extreme events, are anticipated to exacerbate processes of coastal erosion in the coming decades and centuries (Mimura et al 2007, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre 2009). Dominant modes of assessing risk from current and anticipated coastal erosion use spatial models, scenarios, and probability calculations to estimate impacts and vulnerability to existing resources in the coastal zone, including infrastructure, settlements, and economic sectors (Simpson et al 2011, Scott et al 2012, Simpson et al 2012). Local studies from Belize have focused on communities hosting overnight tourism (see Simpson et al 2012)

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