Caribbean Climate Change & Livelihoods: A sectoral approach to vulnerability and resilience Water,...

Caribbean Climate Change & Livelihoods: A sectoral approach to vulnerability and resilienceWater, Energy, Biodiversity, Tourism, Agriculture, Human Health, Infrastructure and Settlement, Gender, Comprehensive Disaster Management

A Not-For-Profit Company

Protecting and enhancing the livelihoods, environments and economies of the Caribbean Basin

IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION IN COASTAL TOURISM

DESTINATIONS

Ms. Judi ClarkeCaribbean Regional Co-ordinator

The CARIBSAVE Partnership

Forum for Tourism, Sustainability and Climate Change

La Ceiba, Honduras : April 11, 2013




ABOUT THE CARIBSAVE PARTNERSHIP AND INTASAVE

• Focus on the impacts of climate change on tourism, protecting and enhancing the livelihoods, environments and economies across the world.

• CARIBSAVE– Where we work: Wider Caribbean Region, Americas– Caribbean Regional Headquarters in Barbados– Office in Jamaica

• INTASAVE– Where we work: Africa, Asia Pacific, UK/Europe, Americas– African Regional Headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa– Office in Kenya– Joint CARIBSAVE/INTASAVE Office in United Kingdom




OUR WORK IN TOURISMAssessment of Impacts




RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TOURISM & OTHER SECTORS

Simpson et al 2008a

Tourism

Agriculture

Water

Natural Resources

Energy

Climate

Waste Management

Health

Infrastructure

Security

Economic Development

Transport

Gender

Education

MDGs




CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TOURISM:

CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA)

• Pilot Study– Summary assessments

of vulnerability and adaptive capacity of tourism and other related sectors

– Destination-level assessments conducted in Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica





CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA)• Full Country Risk Profiles

– Detailed assessments of vulnerability and adaptive capacity of tourism and other related sectors

– Country/National-level assessments conducted in 15 countries

– Climate Modelling, Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Modelling, Climate Change Impact Assessments

– Capacity Building, raising awareness (reports and film)




CCCRA Countries





CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA)Key Findings:

• Anecdotal information as well as observational data have generally been found to be consistent with modelled climate projections and it is clear that climate change is already affecting countries in the Caribbean.

• The impacts of climate change, in particular SLR, will magnify natural forces that already exert pressures on Caribbean coastlines and accelerate coastal erosion – a major threat to the Caribbean tourism product.

• While temperature changes may be a more subtle result of climate change, impacts on sensitive systems can significantly disrupt livelihoods – particularly those in tourism, fisheries, agriculture and some informal sector activities.

• North Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms appear to have increased in intensity over the last 30 years but it is not yet certain to what degree this trend arises as part of a long-term climate change signal or shorter-term inter-decadal variability.

• However, observed and projected increases in sea surface temperatures indicate potential for continuing increases in hurricane activity and model projections indicate that this may occur through increases in intensity of events but not necessarily though increases in frequency of storms.






• Tourism is an increasingly significant energy consumer and emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) both globally and in the Caribbean.

• Five countries studied already exceed the global annual average of 4.3 t CO2 per capita. • Seven of the fifteen countries still generate 100% of their electricity from fossil fuels. • Two countries (Belize and Dominica) produce more than 30% of electricity from

renewable energy (mainly hydropower).• Suriname produces 95% of its electricity from hydropower. The value may have

decreased since the closure of an old power plant subsequent to research.• Continued learning is a necessary part of adaptation and building resilience and capacity,

there are many areas in which action can and must be taken immediately • Learning from past experiences and applying new knowledge is essential in order to

avoid maladaptation and further losses.






• Climate change adaptation will come at a cost but the financial and human costs of inaction will be much greater.

• Some countries have started to address climate change through sustainable development initiatives. However, new science, observations and the limited adaptive capacities in nations shows that Caribbean economies and the livelihoods of its people are in danger if planned adaptation is not made an absolute priority.

• There is significant risk to economic investment and livelihoods, particularly those related to tourism, in the coastal zone of Caribbean countries from sea level rise and storm surge impacts. However, these risks can encourage innovative alternatives to the way to do business and mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction across many areas of policy and practice.

• Tourism is the main economic driver in the Caribbean, primary and secondary climate change impacts on this sector must both be considered seriously. Climate change is affecting related sectors such as health, agriculture, biodiversity and water resources that in turn impact on tourism resources and revenue in ways that are comparable to direct impacts on tourism alone.





CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA)Case Study: Anguilla – Vulnerable

Coastlines• A series of tropical storms in the 1990s

severely reduced many of Anguilla’s beaches.

• 1 m SLR places 63% of the major tourism properties at risk; increasing to 70% under a 2 m SLR scenario.

• 0.5 m SLR places 11% of Sandy Ground’s beach at risk; increasing to 48% under a 1 m scenario.

• Changes in the coastal profile due to extensive beach loss would transform coastal tourism in Anguilla, with implications for property values, insurance costs, destination competitiveness.





CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA)Case Study: Anguilla – Vulnerable

Tourism Communities (Sandy Ground)• Tourism infrastructure dominates Sandy

Ground which is low-lying and prone to flooding when the salt pond breaches.

• There is only one main access road into and out of the area.

• Hurricanes and coastal flooding are the main concern for residents, in addition to

• Since 1995, increases in the number of storms and hurricanes and their intensity have been reported, most of these occurring within the 16 year period between 1995 and 2010.

• A relatively older population resides in Sandy Ground, who tend not to heed evacuation warnings.




Modelling the Transformational Impacts and Costs of Climate Change Induced Sea Level

Rise in the Caribbean (2010)

Overview of Modelling Climate Change Impacts in the Caribbean Region with Contribution from the Pacific Islands (2009)

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TOURISM:Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Modelling




CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TOURISM:Impacts Of Sea Level Rise On Tourism In CARICOM Member

States

Tourism asset Effect of sea level rising by 1m Effect of sea level rising by 2m

Large resorts At least USD149 multi-million dollar tourism resorts damaged or lost

At least USD233 multi-million dollar tourism resorts damaged or lost

Beaches Beach assets lost or greatly degraded at many tourist resorts

Beach assets lost or greatly degraded at most tourist resorts

Airports Loss or damage to 21 CARICOM airports

Loss or damage to 31 CARICOM airports

Sea turtle nesting sites

Flooding of approximately a third of known nesting beaches

Flooding of approximately half of known nesting beaches

[i] Simpson et al. (2010).




CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TOURISM:Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Tourism

• An Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on the Tourism Sector in Barbados

• The Impact of Climate Change on the Tourism, Agriculture, National Economic Growth and Development in Jamaica




OUR WORK IN TOURISMEcosystem-Based Adaptation and

Sustainable Tourism




RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM & OTHER SECTORS

Simpson et al 2008a

SustainableCaribbeanTourism

Destinations

Agriculture

Water

Natural Resources

Energy

Climate

Waste Management

Health

Infrastructure

Security

Economic Development

Transport

Gender

Education

MDGs




Sustainable Tourism Zone in the Caribbean

• The Project: Established a set of indicators to measure the level of tourism sustainability in destinations and to benchmark sustainability across thematic areas in destinations.

• Indicators: based on extensive research of existing sustainability and indicator systems. Covered three dimensions:

(1) Natural and Heritage | (2) Social and Ethical | (3) Economic• Implementation: Co-ordinated by appointed Destination Manager in

each country/site, with continual review and assessment of indicators and sustainability objectives by relevant stakeholders.

• Participating Countries:– Phase I: Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Dominica– Phase II: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Tobago, St. Vincent and the

Grenadines




Sustainable Tourism Zone in the Caribbean

• Results: Based on their compound score (or Tourism Sustainability Index) each destination can be placed into one of four sustainability bands:– Committed tourist destination, striving to achieve

sustainability– Tourism destination with a minimum degree of

sustainability– Tourism destination with an intermediate degree of

sustainability– Tourism destination with a superior degree of

sustainability




Caribbean Fish (C-Fish) Sanctuaries Partnership

Initiative• Strengthening fish sanctuaries (marine reserves) in 5 countries (Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dominica)

• EBA for adaptation to climate change, contribution to sustainable tourism

• Promotes alternative livelihoods in fishing communities and build mutually beneficial linkages between the tourism and fisheries sectors




Caribbean Fish (C-Fish) Sanctuaries Partnership

Initiative• Tourism

partners– Sandals

Foundation– Virgin

Holidays– The Travel

Foundation

http://c-fish.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WHAT-WE-DO-OVERVIEW-IMG-001.jpg




Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises, Adaptation, Resilience, &

Knowledge (CCCCE-ARK)

• Building capacity, climate resilience and improving business sustainability of MSMEs in tourism and other sectors

• 8 coastal communities in Jamaica, Belize, Barbados, & the Bahamas

• Tourism partners– The Travel Foundation– Ministries of Tourism




OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE TOURISM SECTOR

• Climate Change Risk Atlas for Central America countries: – Mexico and Nicaragua have already expressed interest

• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation: A Low Carbon Tourism Approach (REDD-Loc) in Belize– Enhance sustainable tourism– Establish the destination as a leader in sustainable tourism AND

climate adaptation– Develop an ongoing Low Carbon Tourism Model

• Caribbean Partnership for Sustainable Destinations (CPASD) – Partners: ACS, STI, CTO




MIL GRACIAS!

Caribbean Regional Headquarters

Jamaica Office UK/Europe Office

Hastings HouseBalmoral GapChrist Church

BarbadosWest Indies

Tel: +1 246 426 2042

2½ Kingsway, Unit 27Devon House East

Kingston 10Jamaica

West Indies Tel: +1 876 632 3075

Almond HouseBetteshanger Business Park

DealKent CT14 0LX United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1304 619 929

Judi ClarkeCaribbean Regional Co-ordinator

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Caribbean Climate Change & Livelihoods: A sectoral approach to vulnerability and resilience Water,...

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