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Hirschfeld D, Behar D, Nicholls RJ, Cahill N, James T, Horton BP, Portman ME, Bell R, Campo M, Esteban M, Goble B, Rahman M, Addo KA, Chundeli FA, Aunger M, Babitsky O, Beal A, Boyle R, Fang J, Gohar A, Hanson S, Karamesines S, Kim MJ, Lohmann H, McInnes K, Mimura N, Ramsay D, Wenger L, Yokoki H. Global survey shows planners use widely varying sea-level rise projections for coastal adaptation. Commun Earth Environ 2023; 4:102. [PMID: 38665203 PMCID: PMC11041751 DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-00703-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Including sea-level rise (SLR) projections in planning and implementing coastal adaptation is crucial. Here we analyze the first global survey on the use of SLR projections for 2050 and 2100. Two-hundred and fifty-three coastal practitioners engaged in adaptation/planning from 49 countries provided complete answers to the survey which was distributed in nine languages - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. While recognition of the threat of SLR is almost universal, only 72% of respondents currently utilize SLR projections. Generally, developing countries have lower levels of utilization. There is no global standard in the use of SLR projections: for locations using a standard data structure, 53% are planning using a single projection, while the remainder are using multiple projections, with 13% considering a low-probability high-end scenario. Countries with histories of adaptation and consistent national support show greater assimilation of SLR projections into adaptation decisions. This research provides new insights about current planning practices and can inform important ongoing efforts on the application of the science that is essential to the promotion of effective adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Hirschfeld
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Utah State University, 4005 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4005 USA
| | - David Behar
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Robert J. Nicholls
- Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Niamh Cahill
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
- Irish Climate Analysis and Research UnitS (ICARUS), Maynooth University, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Thomas James
- Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Victoria, Canada
| | - Benjamin P. Horton
- Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle E. Portman
- MarCoast Ecosystems Integration Lab, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 Israel
| | - Rob Bell
- Bell Adapt Ltd, Hamilton, 3210 New Zealand
- Environmental Planning Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of Waikato, Te Whare Wananga o Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Matthew Campo
- Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ USA
| | - Miguel Esteban
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Bronwyn Goble
- The Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
| | - Munsur Rahman
- Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, 1000 Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Monique Aunger
- Geological Survey of Canada, Lands and Minerals Sector, Natural Resources Canada 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Orly Babitsky
- MarCoast Ecosystems Integration Lab, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 Israel
| | - Anders Beal
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC USA
| | - Ray Boyle
- College of Environmental Design, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley California, USA
| | - Jiayi Fang
- Institute of Remote Sensing and Earth Sciences, School of Information Science and Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121 China
| | - Amir Gohar
- University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Susan Hanson
- Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Boldrewood Campus, Burgess Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Saul Karamesines
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Utah State University, 4005 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4005 USA
| | - M. J. Kim
- Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries affairs, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hilary Lohmann
- Department of Planning and Natural Resources, St. Croix, USVI USA
| | - Kathy McInnes
- Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Environment, Aspendale, VIC Australia
| | - Nobuo Mimura
- Global and Local Environment Co-creation Institute, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Doug Ramsay
- National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Landis Wenger
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Utah State University, 4005 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4005 USA
| | - Hiromune Yokoki
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, Japan
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Jin L, Whitehead PG, Appeaning Addo K, Amisigo B, Macadam I, Janes T, Crossman J, Nicholls RJ, McCartney M, Rodda HJE. Modeling future flows of the Volta River system: Impacts of climate change and socio-economic changes. Sci Total Environ 2018; 637-638:1069-1080. [PMID: 29801202 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
As the scientific consensus concerning global climate change has increased in recent decades, research on potential impacts of climate change on water resources has been given high importance. However in Sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have fully evaluated the potential implications of climate change to their water resource systems. The Volta River is one of the major rivers in Africa covering six riparian countries (mainly Ghana and Burkina Faso). It is a principal water source for approximately 24 million people in the region. The catchment is primarily agricultural providing food supplies to rural areas, demonstrating the classic water, food, energy nexus. In this study an Integrated Catchment Model (INCA) was applied to the whole Volta River system to simulate flow in the rivers and at the outlet of the artificial Lake Volta. High-resolution climate scenarios downscaled from three different Global Climate Models (CNRM-CM5, HadGEM2-ES and CanESM2), have been used to drive the INCA model and to assess changes in flow by 2050s and 2090s under the high climate forcing scenario RCP8.5. Results show that peak flows during the monsoon months could increase into the future. The duration of high flow could become longer compared to the recent condition. In addition, we considered three different socio-economic scenarios. As an example, under the combined impact from climate change from downscaling CNRM-CM5 and medium+ (high economic growth) socio-economic changes, the extreme high flows (Q5) of the Black Volta River are projected to increase 11% and 36% at 2050s and 2090s, respectively. Lake Volta outflow would increase +1% and +5% at 2050s and 2090s, respectively, under the same scenario. The effects of changing socio-economic conditions on flow are minor compared to the climate change impact. These results will provide valuable information assisting future water resource development and adaptive strategies in the Volta Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Jin
- Geology Department, State University of New York College at Cortland, Cortland, NY 13045, USA.
| | - Paul G Whitehead
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Barnabas Amisigo
- CSIR-Water Research Institute, Box AH 38, Achimota, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ian Macadam
- Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter EX1 3PB, UK
| | | | - Jill Crossman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Robert J Nicholls
- Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Matthew McCartney
- International Water Management Institute, PO Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Harvey J E Rodda
- Hydro-GIS Ltd, 10 Coles Lane, Chalgrove, Oxfordshire OX44 7SY, UK
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Appeaning Addo K, Appeaning Addo I. Coastal erosion management in Accra: Combining local knowledge and empirical research. Jamba 2016; 8:274. [PMID: 29955295 PMCID: PMC6014148 DOI: 10.4102/jamba.v8i1.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Coastal erosion along the Accra coast has become a chronic phenomenon that threatens both life and property. The issue has assumed a centre stage of national debate in recent times because of its impact on the coastal communities. Lack of reliable geospatial data hinders effective scientific investigations into the changing trends in the shoreline position. However, knowledge about coastal erosion, by the local people, and how far the shoreline has migrated inland over time is high in the coastal communities in Accra. This opens a new chapter in coastal erosion research to include local knowledge of the local settlers in developing sustainable coastal management. This article adopted a scientific approach to estimate rate of erosion and tested the results against perceived erosion trend by the local settlers. The study used a 1974 digital topographic map and 1996 aerial photographs. The end point rate statistical method in DSAS was used to compute the rates of change. The short-term rate of change for the 22-year period under study was estimated as -0.91 m/annum ± 0.49 m/annum. It was revealed that about 79% of the shoreline is eroding, while the remaining 21% is either stabilised or accreting. It emerged, from semi-structured interviews with inhabitants in the Accra coastal communities, that an average of about 30 m of coastal lands are perceived to have been lost to erosion for a period of about 20 years. This translates to a historic rate of change of about 1.5 m/year, which corroborates the results of the scientific study. Again this study has established that the local knowledge of the inhabitants, about coastal erosion, can serve as reliable information under scarcity of scientific data for coastal erosion analyses in developing countries.
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