Abstract
Small Island States have been identified as some of the planet’s most vulnerable countries, with increases in global atmospheric temperatures and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere being predicted to lead to a mass extinction and/or migration of coral species and fisheries resources. Rising ocean surface temperatures and the increasing acidity of the oceans (through absorption of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) will likely cause significant mortality in coral reef systems, which are expected to increase tropical island vulnerability to natural disasters and coastal erosion. Storm surges and sea level rise also affect fresh water supplies and impact coastal communities, cultural heritage and infrastructure. The impact on food security and livelihoods of people in Pacific Islands is likely to be enormous, and SIDS have been encouraged to improve adaptation measures to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impacts caused by natural disasters and climate change. A transformational adaptation approach, as highlighted in the latest IPCC AR5 report, will be essential when addressing vulnerability and the adaptive capacity of Small Island States in the Pacific. On the ground experience highlights a need for a tailored approach when designing disaster risk management strategies to address the impacts of climate change, though current problems highlight the limitations and effectiveness of these adaptation projects. The present chapter will highlight case studies from the Islands of Samoa and current adaptation efforts and their limitations, highlighting the traditional characteristics of such adaptation measures. The overall purpose of this chapter is to facilitate discussion on what can be done to address the identified limitations to the development of Small Island States and outline possible future adaptation strategies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Climate Change Management |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Pages | 283-300 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 Jan 1 |
Publication series
| Name | Climate Change Management |
|---|---|
| ISSN (Print) | 1610-2002 |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 1610-2010 |
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Keywords
- Climate change adaptation
- Coastal defences
- Oceans
- Reefs
- Samoa
- Sea level rise
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Global and Planetary Change
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
- Ecology
Cite this
Limits to coastal adaptation in Samoa : Insights and experiences. / Crichton, Richard; Esteban, Miguel.
Climate Change Management. Springer, 2018. p. 283-300 (Climate Change Management).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Limits to coastal adaptation in Samoa
T2 - Insights and experiences
AU - Crichton, Richard
AU - Esteban, Miguel
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Small Island States have been identified as some of the planet’s most vulnerable countries, with increases in global atmospheric temperatures and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere being predicted to lead to a mass extinction and/or migration of coral species and fisheries resources. Rising ocean surface temperatures and the increasing acidity of the oceans (through absorption of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) will likely cause significant mortality in coral reef systems, which are expected to increase tropical island vulnerability to natural disasters and coastal erosion. Storm surges and sea level rise also affect fresh water supplies and impact coastal communities, cultural heritage and infrastructure. The impact on food security and livelihoods of people in Pacific Islands is likely to be enormous, and SIDS have been encouraged to improve adaptation measures to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impacts caused by natural disasters and climate change. A transformational adaptation approach, as highlighted in the latest IPCC AR5 report, will be essential when addressing vulnerability and the adaptive capacity of Small Island States in the Pacific. On the ground experience highlights a need for a tailored approach when designing disaster risk management strategies to address the impacts of climate change, though current problems highlight the limitations and effectiveness of these adaptation projects. The present chapter will highlight case studies from the Islands of Samoa and current adaptation efforts and their limitations, highlighting the traditional characteristics of such adaptation measures. The overall purpose of this chapter is to facilitate discussion on what can be done to address the identified limitations to the development of Small Island States and outline possible future adaptation strategies.
AB - Small Island States have been identified as some of the planet’s most vulnerable countries, with increases in global atmospheric temperatures and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere being predicted to lead to a mass extinction and/or migration of coral species and fisheries resources. Rising ocean surface temperatures and the increasing acidity of the oceans (through absorption of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) will likely cause significant mortality in coral reef systems, which are expected to increase tropical island vulnerability to natural disasters and coastal erosion. Storm surges and sea level rise also affect fresh water supplies and impact coastal communities, cultural heritage and infrastructure. The impact on food security and livelihoods of people in Pacific Islands is likely to be enormous, and SIDS have been encouraged to improve adaptation measures to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impacts caused by natural disasters and climate change. A transformational adaptation approach, as highlighted in the latest IPCC AR5 report, will be essential when addressing vulnerability and the adaptive capacity of Small Island States in the Pacific. On the ground experience highlights a need for a tailored approach when designing disaster risk management strategies to address the impacts of climate change, though current problems highlight the limitations and effectiveness of these adaptation projects. The present chapter will highlight case studies from the Islands of Samoa and current adaptation efforts and their limitations, highlighting the traditional characteristics of such adaptation measures. The overall purpose of this chapter is to facilitate discussion on what can be done to address the identified limitations to the development of Small Island States and outline possible future adaptation strategies.
KW - Climate change adaptation
KW - Coastal defences
KW - Oceans
KW - Reefs
KW - Samoa
KW - Sea level rise
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071505100&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85071505100&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-64599-5_16
DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-64599-5_16
M3 - Chapter
T3 - Climate Change Management
SP - 283
EP - 300
BT - Climate Change Management
PB - Springer
ER -