Case studies key findings and approaches
Case studies focusing on ports and airports in two vulnerable SIDS in the Caribbean – Jamaica and Saint Lucia– were carried out to enhance the knowledge and understanding at the national level and to assist in the development of a transferable methodology for assessing climate-related impacts and adaptation options for critical coastal transport infrastructure in SIDS. The case studies include an assessment of the vulnerability to marine flooding of key international transport assets in both countries, using state-of-the-art Extreme Sea Level (ESL) projections and under different climate scenarios; this includes the 1.5 C global warming scenario (included as an aspirational goal in the Paris Climate Agreement), which may be reached as early as in the 2030s. Vulnerability to some other climate factors was identified using an ‘operational thresholds method’ developed as part of the methodology. As part of the Saint Lucia case study, a beach retreat prediction methodology was also used, to assess the ranges of long- and short-term beach retreats/erosion under different scenarios of mean sea level rise changes and/or storm induced sea level rises.
This document provides an overview of case studies key findings and approaches, including in particular technical elements of the methodology, notably an ‘operational thresholds’ method, to determine the climatic conditions under which facility operations might be impeded, as well as marine inundation modelling (also available to download in HD).
For further information, see also Overview of Project and Key Results.
Overview of the Methodology
The Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Framework for Caribbean Costal Transport Infrastructure provides a structured framework for the assessment of climate change impacts and vulnerability with a view to identifying priorities for adaptation and assisting in effective adaptation planning for critical coastal transport infrastructure; it allows for effective monitoring over time.
Technical elements of the methodology include an ‘operational thresholds’ method, to determine the climatic conditions under which facility operations might be impeded, as well as marine inundation modelling; these are presented in overview in Case studies: key findings and approaches. See also the documentation under Overview of Project and Key Results, below, and under Training and Guidance.
Overview of Project and Key Results
A research paper presenting some of the key project results, as well as technical elements of the methodology developed under the project has been published in the international journal Regional Environmental Change and is available online.
Monioudi, I.Ν., Asariotis, R., Becker, A. et al. Reg Environ Change (2018). Climate change impacts on critical international transportation assets of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS): The case of Jamaica and Saint Lucia.