1. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
(MACC) PROJECT
Dr. Ulric Trotz, MACC Project Manager
AIACC ADAPTATION WORKSHOP
Buenos Aires, Argentina
August 24 –27, 2004

2. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
APPROACHES TO ADAPTATION POLICY FORMULATION
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
primary- climate change – rise in temperature; expected consequences e.g.
Sea Level Rise
Disruption of weather patterns
Increase of intensity (and frequency?) of storms

3. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
APPROACHES TO ADAPTATION POLICY FORMULATION
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Determine vulnerable elements in the system e.g.
Coastal Infrastructure
Water Resources
Agriculture

4. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
APPROACHES TO ADAPTATION POLICY FORMULATION
IMPACT STUDIES
Juxtaposition of hazard with vulnerabilty
identifies systems at risk and nature of risk:
Impacts on socio-economic systems
Impacts of natural systems
Quantification of impacts

5. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
APPROACHES TO ADAPTATION POLICY FORMULATION
ADAPTATION
Determine responses to ameliorate
impact of risks and determine
feasibility of interventions
Prioritisation
Risk Management approach to identify most feasible “adaptation options”

6. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
Lack of climate data and comprehensive monitoring in the region
Regional models, region-specific scenarios (climate, socio-economic)

7. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN

8. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Lack of data e.g. for coastal vulnerability studies, unavailability of baseline data
Near-shore bathymetry
Coastal Morphology
Contour maps below 25-ft contour
Geo-referenced cadastral information
GIS base-maps and remote sensing
Sectoral data sets

9. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Methodological
Need to fashion methodology to take account of local circumstances (greater role for stakeholder participation)

10. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
IMPACT STUDIES
Availability and choice of appropriate sectoral models
Costing Impacts

11. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
Prioritising action
Cost-benefit analysis
Implementation of “no-regrets” measures

12. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
Acceptance of paradigm that increasing resilience to present vulnerability is one step on adaptation ladder
Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into
National Development Plans
Disaster Mitigation Strategy and Action Plans

13. CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTATION RESEARCH IN THE CARIBBEAN
Thank you!