Climate Change And Island And Coastal Vulnerability

Climate Change and Island and Coastal Vulnerability

"Climate Change and Island and Coastal Vulnerability” is the outcome of a selection of peer reviewed edited papers presented at the International Workshop on Climate Change and Island Vulnerability (IWCCI) held at Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep, India in October 2010. Marine and coastal biodiversity, sea level rise vulnerability, fisheries, climate change impact on livelihood options, water and sanitation in island ecosystem and mitigation, adaptation and governance are the focal themes. The basic concept conveyed in the book is that biodiversity of islands is to be protected as a natural mechanism to mitigate climate change. Probability recurrence of mass coral bleaching and the management of coral reefs and their future protection are discussed in this book. Marine productivity and climate change for the last ten thousand years in the Arabian Sea have been examined with core records. Green technology is suggested as an important tool for mitigation and adaptation programmes in climate change. Measures taken to project biomass utilisation of islands as an energy source is delineated. Climate change may pose a potential threat on human health. Improved sanitation packages and models that are cost effective and environment-friendly for islands are uniquely presented in this book.

Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific

This edited volume addresses the impacts of climate change on Pacific islands, and presents databases and indexes for assessing and adapting to island vulnerabilities. By analyzing susceptibility variables, developing comprehensive vulnerability indexes, and applying GIS techniques, the book's authors demonstrate the particular issues presented by climate change in the islands of the Pacific region, and how these issues may be managed to preserve and improve biodiversity and human livelihoods. The book first introduces the issues specific to island communities, such as high emissions impacts, and discusses the importance of the lithological traits of Pacific islands and how these physical factors relate to climate change impacts. From here, the book aims to analyze the various vulnerabilities of different island sectors, and to formulate a susceptibility index from these variables to be used by government and planning agencies for relief prioritization. Such variables include tropical cyclones, built infrastructures, proximity to coastal areas, agriculture, fisheries and marine resources, groundwater availability, biodiversity, and economic impacts on industries such as tourism. Through the categorization and indexing of these variables, human and physical adaptation measures are proposed, and support solutions are offered to aid the inhabitants of affected island countries. This book is intended for policy makers, academics, and climate change researchers, particularly those dealing with climate change impacts on small islands.

Sea Level Rise and the Vulnerability of Coastal Peoples