Adaptation – increasing resilience, reducing vulnerability

Coastal resources

Bank protection, river dams, and interception sewers are infrastructure measures to increase  protection against flooding and salt water intrusion resulting from intensive rainfall and sea level rise. The resulting effect would be considerable lowered vulnerability to some of the most likely and immediate effects of climate change.

Beach Nourishment is the process of adding material (sand and silt) to the coastal profile mostly by pumping, but could also be by changing local water currents. Various forms of this has been used with high success in low-laying European countries e.g. Denmark and the Netherlands. Its feasibility depends several factors, not the local coastal morphology and currents. Adaptation effect is to lower risk of flooding and salt water intrusion from the sea.

Artificial Sand Dunes and Dune Rehabilitation is the process of either creating artificial dunes, or encouraging growth of natural dunes e.g. by using dune stabilisation belts and planting vegetation which can tolerate the growing conditions and hence hold back wind transported sand particles. The technology would help reduce the risk of flooding and salt water intrusion from the sea.

Sea Dykes are large scale structures creating a solid barrier against flooding from the sea. Simple technology which is used in many locations worldwide. Requires frequent maintenance to be effective. The adaptation effect is to reduce vulnerability to flooding and salt water intrusion.

Sea walls are structures which create solid barriers against flowing from the sea. A sea wall will often be in constant or frequent contact with sea water, where a dyke typically would only be active during extreme situations. Sea wall are commonly used worldwide and is a simple and effective measure which requires frequent maintenance. Reduces vulnerability from flooding and salt water intrusion from the sea.

Coastal wetland rehabilitation is often concerned with mangrove forests which can be protected and rehabilitated by planting of mangrove seedlings and other plants which help retain the silt and clay and hence stabilise the coastline. The technology add to adaptation by reducing vulnerability to flooding and salt water intrusion from the sea.

Flood Warning Systems can be in form of both improved meteorological forecasting technologies and systems and improved knowledge of water flow regimes in river systems. The former is typically related to better use of existing data gathering systems e.g satellites and improved international and regional meteorological cooperation. Flow regimes in river systems are dependent on many factors including surrounding land use and use of the water resource. Hydropower and irrigation schemes may significantly impact flow regimes under various seasonal weather conditions and improved river systems and flow modelling can help alleviate flooding or delayed flooding for agricultural which are dependent on seasonal inundations. In both cases the vulnerability to unforeseen climatic variability will be decreased.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) applies a more holistic approach to planning in coastal areas by considering all environmental, economic, social, cultural and recreational objectives for the target area. This implies that within the limits set by the natural dynamics, land use and land use change in the coastal zone are balanced and considered so that all stakeholders and objectives can be integrated under a sustainable development agenda. The approach also integrates policies, sectors, and administrative bodies as well as both terrestrial and marine components. If combined with Integrated Watershed Management (IWM), also upstream land use can be taken into consideration and an even more coherent and holistic planning process achieved which may help alleviate downstream impacts of inappropriate upstream activities. By integrating a sustainability agenda into the planning and natural resource management process, also mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts can be integrated.

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