Climate change in the UKOTs an overview of the ... - JNCC - Defra

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Box 12 cont’d uprooted or snapped off, causing considerable damage to utilities and buildings on the island. Surviving introduced vegetation also suffered complete defoliation and considerable dieback from wind and salt spray blown over the islands during the hurricanes. By contrast, tree and plant species endemic or native to Bermuda are mainly found as isolated specimens or small stands on coastal cliffs, rocky areas or offshore islands. The most noteworthy of these plant species are the Bermuda cedar (Juniperus bermudiana), Bermuda olivewood (Cassine laneanum), Bermuda palmetto palm (Sabal bermudana) and yellow-wood (Zanthoxylum flavum). A number of Nature Reserve and Park areas have had invasive vegetation removed and endemic vegetation planted as part of a native reforestation program. The most noteworthy of these are the Nonsuch Island Nature Reserve and Walsingham Trust reserve, where reforestation efforts have been underway for over forty years. In both areas, an immature closed-canopy forest has developed, with a high diversity of understory plant species. These restored endemic/native woodland areas have shown significant resistance to both hurricane-force winds and salt damage. On Nonsuch Island, less than 2 per cent of the mature trees in the restored native forest were uprooted or damaged, despite the extremely exposed aspect of the island. Salt damage to foliage was also much less than that with introduced trees on more sheltered areas on the main island of Bermuda, and new foliage was re-sprouting within two weeks on native trees. The increased resistance stems from adaptations common to most of Bermuda’s endemic and native tree species, including a shorter, dense growth form, salt-resistant foliage and robust root systems which can penetrate deep into cracks in the limestone rock which underlies Bermuda’s generally thin soils. These adaptations have given the endemic tree species an advantage over the introduced tree species in extreme hurricane conditions, and have led to the increased propagation and use of endemic species in replanting and landscaping uses on Bermuda. Much of the seed and seedlings used for this purpose are now obtained as surplus from the regenerating native forest on Nonsuch Island. Source: Jeremy Madeiros, Conservation Officer (Terrestrial), Department of Conservation Services, Bermuda Meeting multiple objectives through effective adaptation When investments in climate change adaptation, biodiversity and sustainable development, and disaster management intersect, there is a ‘win-win-win’ situation (Figure 13). The triple dividend of this investment payback translates into ‘safer, sounder models of development’ and improved resilience to natural disasters and climate impacts. Each dollar spent goes towards climate impacts, disaster 66 Climate adaptation Disaster management Biodiversity & Sustainable development Figure 13. The Triple dividend Source:UNEP Finance Initiative, 2006 Triple Dividend
ecovery and economic growth (UNEP Finance Initiative, 2006). A stitch in time… Building adaptive capacity is not without costs for UKOTs, but failing to do so is a potentially more costly alternative in the medium- to long-term. A growing body of evidence shows that the cost of managing risk to natural hazards is less expensive than repairing damage after the fact. Early investments pay off. The incremental costs of ‘climate proofing’ structural investments at the outset is often much smaller than repairing damage, as comparative figures from the Caribbean show in Table 6. Reconstruction costs can be as much as 40 per cent of the original investment, which is generally much more than it would have cost to take preventative measures at the start (Bettencourt et al., 2006). 4.2 Mitigation Although UKOTs make a miniscule contribution to warming and have little control over global mitigation, they can play their part in the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing energy efficiency, diversifying their energy sources and increasing reliance on non fossil fuel sources of energy, and providing for the development and uptake of climate friendly technologies. Climate change affects us all, therefore we all have a vested interested in doing whatever we can to reduce emissions, however small the contribution in global terms. Collectively, small efforts add up to a make a difference. Table 4. Comparing prevention and reconstruction in the Caribbean (in USD) Infrastructure Deepwater Port (Dominica) Original project cost Reconstruction costs after disaster Reconstruction as a % of original construction cost Risk management of natural hazards costs as a % of original construction costs Risk management of natural hazard costs as a % of reconstruction costs 5,700,000 2,310,000 40.7% 11.5% 28.0% Norman Manley Law School (Jamaica) 685,000 28,800 4.2% 1.9% 45.0% Troumasse Bridge (St. Lucia) 185,000 32,000 17.4% 10.8% 62.4% Grand Palazzo Hotel (St. Thomas) 28,000,000 5,308,000 19.0% 0.1% 0.5% Source:: USAID-OAS, 1998 cited in Bettencourt et al. 2006 67
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Climate Change in the UK Overseas T
Page 4 and 5:
Acknowledgements: This booklet is p
Page 6 and 7:
UKOTs, and outlines options for ada
Page 8 and 9:
Abbreviations and Acronyms ACC Anta
Page 10 and 11:
Glossary cont’d El Niño/El Niño
Page 12 and 13:
Executive Summary What do droughts
Page 14 and 15:
varying degrees on tourism. The env
Page 16 and 17:
Why climate change matters for UKOT
Page 18 and 19: pledged $182m to international fund
Page 20 and 21: “ Addressing climate change is an
Page 22 and 23: Box 2. The UK Overseas Territories
Page 24 and 25: 22 Atlantic, lying 912 km east of t
Page 26 and 27: 24 Climate: Tropical climate. Topog
Page 28 and 29: 26 Main economic activities: Gibral
Page 30 and 31: 28 Biodiversity: St. Helena's isola
Page 32 and 33: Why climate change matters for UKOT
Page 34 and 35: Number of reef provinces with moder
Page 36 and 37: Sunlight passes through the greenho
Page 38 and 39: The carbon dioxide imbalance It is
Page 40 and 41: Observed trends Some of the IPCC co
Page 42 and 43: Sea level and temperature: Global a
Page 44 and 45: 42 Box 6. Three temperature increas
Page 46 and 47: Changing growing seasons, drought a
Page 48 and 49: eds, higher seas surface temperatur
Page 50 and 51: Observed change Data and informatio
Page 52 and 53: designated wetland of international
Page 54 and 55: Higher temperatures and variability
Page 56 and 57: 54 Corals killed by sea warming in
Page 58 and 59: Ascension Island St. Helena Falklan
Page 60 and 61: 3.2.7 South Pacific There is one UK
Page 62 and 63: Why climate change matters for UKOT
Page 64 and 65: 4.1 Mainstreaming adaptation The co
Page 66 and 67: and capacity rather than rely on a
Page 70 and 71: Some territories have taken steps t
Page 72 and 73: 70 Table 5. Policies that affect th
Page 74 and 75: In regions prone to drought or peri
Page 76 and 77: simple as replacing light bulbs, po
Page 78 and 79: 76 and industrial development. This
Page 80 and 81: Government of Bermuda. 2007. Statem
Page 82: Sheppard, C. and M. Spalding. 2003.
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