Topic: tobago

RELEASE: 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries Adopt an Ambitious Plan of Action to Improve Access Rights in the Region

Lauren Zelin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:17:15 -0400

Fourteen Latin American and Caribbean countries adopted an ambitious Plan of Action to improve access rights in the region, including access to information, public participation, and access to justice. The plan, which was approved at a meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, on April 16-17, 2013, seeks to implement the Latin American and Caribbean Declaration on Principle 10 that was signed at the Rio +20 Conference in June 2012, under which countries agreed to work towards a regional instrument to improve access rights.

The meeting began with Colombia and Honduras signing on to the LAC Declaration, a major accomplishment for all parties. The 14 countries that have now signed on include: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

“The new Plan of Action shows political will to transform environmental justice and transparency in the region,” said Carole Excell, Senior Associate at the World Resources Institute and The Access Initiative. “It sets the pace and the agenda to tackle the challenges of negotiating a regional instrument to ensure access rights across Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Under the new 2013-2014 Plan of Action, the LAC countries have committed to:

Promote the Principle 10 Declaration and incorporate new signatories into the process;
Strengthen and highlight the progress made on rights of access to information, participation, and justice;
Promote active participation of civil society at the national level; and
Develop working groups to deliberate capacity-building and cooperation efforts, and determine the nature and scope of the regional instrument.

Ambassador Jose Balmaceda of Chile noted that the Plan of Action “is a strong political signal to the international community that we are responding in a responsible way to this commitment [to Principle 10] … It is the first time that government representatives from 14 countries and civil society sat down to debate – with transparency and trust – relevant issues for the future of the region. This is a testament to maturity in the region. We have been able to reach consensus on the Plan of Action that will allow us to move ahead on national processes and regional efforts. I am sure that this result will motivate other nations in the region to join the process.”

The Plan of Action includes a number of innovative provisions, including procedures for public participation in the regional process and its working groups. It will create opportunities for close South-to-South cooperation on rights to promote transparency, public participation, and access to justice, as well as a focus on increased support for effective implementation at the national level.

“We hope at the end of 2014 we can count on the development of an instrument on Principle 10 that establishes concrete actions to guarantee effective and informed participation to all citizens and communities of our region,” said Daniel Barragan, Ecuadorian Center for Environmental Law (Centro Ecuatoriane de Derecho Ambinental Ambiental), an environmental law NGO. “Soon we can have a voice and be a part of the decision making on the environment and natural resources.”

In addition to adopting the Plan of Action, members elected co-chairs to run the working groups. Costa Rica and Brazil were mandated to design the regional instrument on Principle 10 and Jamaica and Columbia were given the role to facilitate work on cooperation and capacity building.

RELEASE: Caribbean Freedom of Information Network launched at Landmark Conference

Lauren Zelin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:55:32 -0400

11 Caribbean Countries Meet to Discuss Freedom of Information Laws in the Region

For the first time, Caribbean governments and civil society have come together to discuss access to information, public participation in governance, and access to justice at a landmark conference held in Kingston, Jamaica. Representatives from 11 Caribbean countries attended the “Regional Conference on Freedom of Information in the Caribbean: Improving Management for the Environment.”

At the close of the two-day conference on March 21, 2013, governments, civil society, and media announced the decision to launch a Caribbean network on freedom of information to support processes to improve standards for access to information in the region.

Dr. Carolyn Gomes, chairperson of the Access to Information Advisory Stakeholders’ Committee and Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) said, “freedom of information is the most powerful tool for ordinary citizens to arm themselves with the information they need to change their lives. Launching this freedom of information network will build opportunities for collaboration, learning and capacity building among information commissioners, civil society and media across the region.”

Countries reviewed the status and effectiveness of freedom of information laws, the number of requests for information being made in each country, and institutional structures for implementation and enforcement. Jamaica is one of seven Caribbean countries (Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Cayman Islands) to have freedom of information laws in force. Five countries have draft laws pending, and Bahamas and Guyana have passed laws but they are not yet in force. Gaps in implementation were noted in Belize, Antigua, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, which have laws that have not yet fully been utilized by the public.

“Freedom of information laws ensure that citizens can access official documents from their governments and gives them a voice in decisions that directly impact them and the environment,” said Danielle Andrade, Legal Director of the Jamaica Environment Trust. “Using Jamaica’s Access to Information Act, we were able to obtain documents to build our legal case to compel the government to fix a non-functioning sewage treatment plant in Harbour View, Kingston.”

The event was a follow-up to the Rio+20 sustainable development conference in May of 2012, where ten countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) signed a declaration to work towards a legally binding, regional instrument to promote the implementation of the rights of access to information, public participation, and access to justice in environmental matters. Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to sign the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Declaration on Principle 10, and Trinidad and Tobago joined in 2013.

“The LAC Principle 10 regional declaration is a game changing opportunity for the region,” said Carole Excell, Senior Associate at the World Resources Institute. “Caribbean governments need to embrace new regional approaches that seek to improve transparency, reduce conflicts over environmental decisions, and build capacity to implement new rights for citizens.”

Michelle Fife, Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stated, “this is a positive initiative which brings the region together on an important issue. Transparency is important to our government. With continued work we will build and strengthen our institutional capacity to improve access to information.”

The conference was funded by The Commonwealth Foundation, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Information Commissioner’s Office of the Cayman Islands. Organizers included the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), World Resources Institute (WRI), The Access Initiative (TAI), Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), The Mona School of Business and Management, and the Access to Information Unit of Jamaica.

PRESS RELEASE: 75% of World’s Coral Reefs Currently Under Threat, New Analysis Finds

Michael Oko — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:55:53 -0500

“Reefs at Risk Revisited” report presents comprehensive analysis of threats to coral reefs

A new comprehensive analysis finds that 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. For the first time, the analysis includes threats from climate change, including warming seas and rising ocean acidification. The report shows that local pressures— such as overfishing, coastal development, and pollution— pose the most immediate and direct risks, threatening more than 60 percent of coral reefs today.

“Reefs at Risk Revisited,” the most detailed assessment of threats to coral reefs ever undertaken, is being released by the World Resources Institute with the Nature Conservancy, the WorldFish Center, the International Coral Reef Action Network, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, along with a network of more than 25 organizations. Launch activities are taking place in Washington, D.C., London, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Australia, and other locations around the world.

“This report serves as a wake-up call for policy-makers, business leaders, ocean managers, and others about the urgent need for greater protection for coral reefs,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “As the report makes clear, local and global threats, including climate change, are already having significant impacts on coral reefs, putting the future of these beautiful and valuable ecosystems at risk.”

Local pressures – especially overfishing and destructive fishing – are causing many reefs to be degraded. Global pressures are leading to coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification from carbon dioxide pollution. According to the new analysis, if left unchecked, more than 90 percent of reefs will be threatened by 2030 and nearly all reefs will be at risk by 2050.

“Coral reefs are valuable resources for millions of people worldwide. Despite the dire situation for many reefs, there is reason for hope,” said Lauretta Burke, senior associate at WRI and a lead author of the report. “Reefs are resilient, and by reducing the local pressures we can buy time as we find global solutions to preserve reefs for future generations.”

The report includes multiple recommendations to better protect and manage reefs, including through marine protected areas. The analysis shows that more than one-quarter of reefs are already encompassed in a range of parks and reserves, more than any other marine habitat. However, only six percent of reefs are in protected areas that are effectively managed.

“Well managed marine protected areas are one of the best tools to safeguard reefs,” said Mark Spalding, senior marine scientist at the Nature Conservancy and a lead author of the report. “At their core, reefs are about people as well as nature: ensuring stable food supplies, promoting recovery from coral bleaching, and acting as a magnet for tourist dollars. We need apply the knowledge we have to shore up existing protected areas, as well as to designate new sites where threats are highest, such as the populous hearts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, East Africa and the Middle East.”

Reefs offer multiple benefits to people and the economy – providing food, sustaining livelihoods, supporting tourism, protecting coasts, and even helping to prevent disease. According the report, more than 275 million people live in the direct vicinity (30 km/18 miles) of coral reefs. In more than 100 countries and territories, coral reefs protect 150,000 km (over 93,000 miles) of shorelines, helping defend coastal communities and infrastructure against storms and erosion.

For the first time, the report identifies the 27 nations most socially and economically vulnerable to coral reef degradation and loss. Among these, the nine most vulnerable countries are: Haiti, Grenada, Philippines, Comoros, Vanuatu, Tanzania, Kiribati, Fiji, and Indonesia.

“The people at greatest risk are those who depend heavily on threatened reefs, and who have limited capacity to adapt to the loss of the valuable resources and services reefs provide,” said Allison Perry, project scientist at the WorldFish Center and a lead author. “For highly vulnerable nations – including many island nations – there is a pressing need for development efforts to reduce dependence on reefs and build adaptive capacity, in addition to protecting reefs from threats.”

The report is an update of “Reefs at Risk,” released by WRI in 1998, which served as an important resource for policymakers to understand and address the threats of reefs. The new report uses the latest data and satellite information to map coral reefs— including a reef map with a resolution 64 times higher than the original report.

“Through new technology and improved data, this study provides valuable tools and information for decision makers from national leaders to local marine managers,” said Katie Reytar, research associate at WRI and a lead author. “In order to maximize the benefits of these tools, we need policymakers to commit to greater action to address the growing threats to coral reefs.”

Find out more at: www.wri.org/reefs

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The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. (www.wri.org)

The Nature Conservancy(TNC) is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than one million members have protected more than 480,000 sq km of land and engage in more than100 marine conservation projects. The Conservancy is actively working on coral reef conservation in 24 countries, including the Caribbean and the Coral Triangle. (www.nature.org)

WorldFish Center is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture. Working in partnership with a wide range of agencies and research institutions, WorldFish carries out research to improve small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. Its work on coral reefs includes ReefBase, the global information system on coral reefs. (www.worldfishcenter.org)

International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) is a global network of coral reef science and conservation organizations working together and with local stakeholders to improve the management of coral reef ecosystems. ICRAN facilitates the exchange and replication of good practices in coral reef management throughout the world’s major coral reef regions. (www.icran.org)

United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is an internationally recognized center for the synthesis, analysis, and dissemination of global biodiversity knowledge. UNEP-WCMC provides authoritative, strategic, and timely information on critical marine and coastal habitats for conventions, countries, organizations, and companies to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. (www.unep-wcmc.org)

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational unit of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) charged with coordinating research and monitoring of coral reefs. The network, with many partners, reports on ecological and socioeconomic monitoring and produces Status of Coral Reefs of the World reports covering more than 80 countries and states. (www.gcrmn.org)

Reefs at Risk in the Atlantic/Caribbean

Maggie Barron — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:07:01 -0500

More than 75 percent of the coral reefs in the Atlantic region are at risk from local threats (i.e., coastal development, overfishing/destructive fishing, marine-based pollution, and/or watershed-based pollution), with over 30 percent in the high and very high threat categories. The least-threatened reefs are almost entirely in areas remote from large land areas, such as the Bahamas, the southern Gulf of Mexico, and the oceanic reefs of Honduras and Nicaragua. The insular Caribbean is particularly threatened: from Jamaica through to the Lesser Antilles, more than 90 percent of all reefs are threatened, with nearly 70 percent classified as high or very high threat.

Download hi-res version (JPEG, 2149 x 1575 px, 797 Kb)
View reefs at risk in Brazil
View global map of threats to coral reefs

Q&A: The Economics of Coral Reefs

Lauretta Burke — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:22:07 -0400

WRI’s Lauretta Burke discusses her work on measuring the economic value of coral reefs in the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries.

Coral reefs are essential to fisheries, tourism, and protecting beaches from erosion. WRI’s coral reefs team recently released Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic, its fourth country-level economic valuation of coral reefs in the Caribbean.

What are the main discoveries of the recently-released economic valuation of coral reefs in the Dominican Republic?

This report looks at the economic and recreational value of the Dominican Republic’s coralline beaches, reef and mangrove fisheries, and ecotourism industry. We basically set out to quantify what the country stands to lose – in fishing, shoreline erosion, and tourism – if it does not take efforts to preserve its reefs.

For example, the Dominican Republic depends on its beaches to attract tourists, but it’s the reefs that keep the shoreline from eroding. Without reefs, you start to lose your beaches, and this can have a huge impact on tourism. Our analysis finds that for each meter of beach a resort loses, the average per-person hotel room rate drops by about $1.50 per night. So if beaches continue to erode at the current rate, the Dominican tourism industry stands to lose $52-100 million in revenue over the next decade.

It’s a similar story for fishing. The report estimates that the income from reef- or mangrove-dependent fisheries has decreased by 60 percent in the past decade – from USD $41 million to $17 million – because of pollution and overfishing. This trend endangers the livelihoods of many Dominican fishermen, and the country’s economy as a whole.

This is the fourth country-level economic valuation of reefs in the Caribbean. How do the countries differ?

We started our economic valuation work with pilot projects in Tobago and St. Lucia. Then we did Belize, the Dominican Republic, and we are currently working in Jamaica. At first, our intention was to work out a methodology that could be used everywhere. That was a good ambition, but in reality every country differs, the data differ, and the nature of tourism differs in each country, so it’s hard to make generalizations at a national level.

In the countries we have evaluated, there have been varying levels of awareness about reefs. In Tobago, people used to be allowed to walk right onto Buccoo Reef wearing rubber booties. That’s now changed, but the country still has trouble managing waste outflows around the reef. In Belize, there is a much larger diving community and more resorts that depend on the reefs to draw tourists. There are a lot of people and NGOs who are interested and engaged.

In the Dominican Republic and now in Jamaica, people are not as focused on eco-tourism and diving. Their reefs are pretty degraded already. But they do capitalize on beautiful beaches, which means that their reefs are very important.

Why is it in a country’s best interest to protect its reefs?

Shoreline protection by reefs is an important and valuable service in all the countries in which we have worked. Reef- or beach-related tourism is also of very high value in all five countries. In addition, there are the people whose livelihoods depend on the reefs and fisheries, and who have very few alternatives.

Reefs help project the shoreline from erosion and help maintain the beach. In many areas where you have beach erosion, there is a degrading reef as well. Countries are starting to invest a lot of money in beach replenishment, and they are going to have to do that over and over again if they don’t fix the underlying problem. Beach replenishment and engineering solutions are both very expensive. If you can prevent the reef from degrading in the first place, that’s the best solution.

The hotel and the eco-tourism industries definitely have a business case for protecting these ecosystems as well. Maintaining good water quality protects the reefs, but it is also important for swimmers, and important for the beach itself. It’s a whole package, and sometimes that realization can take a while to take hold.

What has the team learned from doing these valuations?

We have learned that you cannot just talk in general, abstract terms about risks and values. So, in the Dominican Republic, we looked at case studies of a few specific mega-tourism locations, and showed what the impact of coral reef damage will cost businesses there. It was no longer abstract, and resort owners showed up to our recent event and were definitely interested.

Reef valuation is not easy. It’s hard to get the data that you need to develop reliable values. And there are many assumptions you need to make in order to develop estimates. But I think the numbers we are developing are indicative of the reefs’ larger value, and can raise awareness about the important role that reefs play. The numbers help get people’s attention so you can have a more specific conversation about solutions and policies.

What can countries do to protect their reefs?

The countries in which we have worked typically have coastal regulations, but they are not always enforced. In the areas designated as “no-take,” enforcement of rules is very important, and benefits both the reefs and the adjacent fisheries. But in some marine protected areas [MPAs], the staff does not even have boats to go out and check the reefs.

In the Dominican Republic, the government could manage coastal development in a more farsighted way. The government could start honoring the EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment] process and enforcing restrictions on mangrove removal. They could also take a stronger stance when resorts want to flatten and remove sand dunes, since this exacerbates erosion.

What impact will the recent Gulf Coast oil spill have on reefs?

I’d say we don’t know yet. It is a dynamic situation and until the well head is capped, we won’t know how much oil is in the basin. Floating tar balls are unlikely to have much effect on reefs. Dispersed oil and dispersants themselves are a larger threat. I think the Deepwater Horizon incident really highlights the need to enforce environmental regulations and not just accept assurances from companies with large economic interests in an activity.

For more information, visit our Economic Valuation of Coral Reefs page.

Coastal Capital: Economic Valuation of Coastal Ecosystems in the Caribbean

Katie Reytar — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:22:56 -0400

New! Working Paper: Influence of Coastal Economic Valuations in the Caribbean: Enabling Conditions and Lessons Learned

The Coastal Capital series was launched in 2005 and aims to provide decision-makers in the Caribbean with information and tools that link the health of coastal ecosystems with the attainment of economic and social goals. WRI and its local partners have conducted economic valuation studies of coral reefs and mangroves at national and subnational levels in five countries: Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Belize, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. We are using the results to identify and build support for policies that help to ensure healthy coastal ecosystems and sustainable economies.

Building on these studies, WRI is now working with a broad partnership to develop a standardized framework for coastal ecosystem valuation in the Caribbean. This framework will be a guide to conducting coastal valuations using best practices, yielding comparable and credible valuation results that should be more likely to influence policy-making and improve the conservation and management of coastal ecosystems.

Economic Valuations by Country

Click to learn more about our methodology and tools for implementation.

Coastal Capital: Economic Valuation of Coral Reefs in Tobago and St. Lucia

Payson Schwin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:49:06 -0400

Coral reefs provide many benefits, sometimes called ecosystem goods and services, which are of high value and critical importance to local and national economies in the Caribbean.

These values are frequently overlooked or underappreciated in coastal investment, development and policy decisions, resulting in short-sighted decisions that do not maximize the long-term economic potential of coastal areas.

This project focuses on development of a valuation methodology that will be broadly applicable in countries across the Caribbean, supporting wise, long-term coastal policy and management.

This report provides a comprehensive summary of the valuation methodology as well as valuation results from implementation in two pilot sites in the Eastern Caribbean (St. Lucia and Tobago). Shorter, island-specific summaries of results, along with an Excel-based Valuation Tool for implementing the methodology are available from www.wri.org/project/valuation-caribbean-reefs.

Estimating the economic benefits of coral reefs to local economies is neither easy nor straightforward, due to the range of approaches available and frequent limitations of underlying data. Many valuation methods exist, and results are rarely comparable.

A priority for this project has been the development of a simple, broadly applicable methodology to value coral reef goods and services, based predominantly on commonly available data. Use of a consistent approach should lead to more comparable estimates of value for different places and time periods. An easily replicable methodology can also be applied while varying key assumptions in order to assess the impacts of different development and management options.

This methodology does not assess Total Economic Value (TEV), but rather focuses on three key goods and services: coral reef-associated tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection services. These goods and services were chosen because of their importance to local economies and because data are available to support estimation of these values.

The method was developed based on literature review, feedback from local partners and examination of coral reef use and data availability in two pilot locations (St. Lucia and Tobago).

The results from the economic valuation of coral reefs in St. Lucia and Tobago—sites with very different coastal management and data richness situations—are presented in this paper. Even assessing only a subset of goods and services demonstrates that the benefits provided by coral reefs are economically significant, particularly with respect to island GDP. These estimates should be viewed as lower bound (partial) estimates of the economic contribution of coral reefs to the economy of these two islands.

The economic impact of coral reef-associated tourism and recreation and fisheries is evaluated using a financial analysis method—tracking the financial flows generated by these two industries, and their wider impact on the economy. Shoreline protection services are evaluated using a modified avoided damages approach, where the value of a reduction in wave-induced erosion and property damage due to coral reefs is estimated.

The methodology, as well as the Valuation Tool, uses a tiered approach, allowing results to be calculated at different levels of detail depending upon the data available.

Coastal Capital: Putting a Value on The Caribbean's Coral Reefs

Lauretta Burke — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:13:47 -0400

Coral reefs are a vital part of the Caribbean’s marine environment, and are integral to the economies of many of the region’s small island states. WRI’s economic valuation methodology can help decision-makers in the region better understand the enormous economic value the reef provides and use this data to make better-informed coastal policy.

Click here to view the full results.

Tourists flock to the region to see the beautiful beaches and marine life these biologically rich habitats support. Local fishermen rely on healthy reefs as a source of food and livelihood. In addition, reefs act as natural barriers to protect the islands from the worst ravages of tropical storms.

The proper management of the Caribbean’s Coastal Capital is essential for the region’s economic and environmental health.

Yet government officials, developers and the public often overlook or do not fully appreciate the harmful effects coral reef degradation, resulting in short-sighted decisions about coastal investment, development and land use. Knowledge of the economic values stemming from coral reefs supports sustainable planning which maximizes the long-term economic potential of coastal areas.

But a clear presentation of the economic value derived from coral reefs can guide the sustainable use of these resources.

The World Resources Institute, in collaboration with government and NGO partners in St. Lucia, Tobago and Belize, has developed an economic valuation methodology to quantify the value of coral reefs in the Caribbean more accurately. The methodology supports the evaluation of trade-offs, thereby highlighting the management and development paths which protect coral reefs, and maximize the economic contribution of coral reefs to the economy.

Our Excel-based Economic Valuation Tool guides users through a simple method that does not assess Total Economic Value (TEV), but instead focuses on three key goods and services: coral reef-associated tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection services. Read more about the methodology (PDF, 59 Kb)

The tool evaluates the economic impact of both coral reef-associated tourism and fisheries with a financial analysis method that tracks the financial flows and wider economic impact these two industries generate.

Shoreline protection is the third aspect of the Economic Valuation Tool. WRI developed an innovative method for evaluating the role of coral reefs in protecting the shoreline. Using a modified avoided damages approach, the tool estimates the total value of reduction in wave-induced erosion and property damage due to coral reefs.

Countries across the Caribbean can use the methodology; and the hope is that its widespread use will support wise, forward-looking coastal policy throughout the region.

WRI has made lower bound (partial) estimates of the economic contribution of coral reefs to the economy of two pilot sites in the Eastern Caribbean: Tobago and St. Lucia. On these two small islands, coral reef tourism alone accounted for direct and indirect economic impact totaling US$101–130 million in Tobago and US$ 160–194 million in St. Lucia.

Ultimately, WRI hopes the project will:

Increase local capacity to perform ecosystem valuation and use the valuation results in planning and decision-making;
Make the economic case for better coastal and land management, as well as for increased investment in Marine Protected Areas, so that these are viewed as investments for the economic and societal benefits of the country;
Arm NGOs and marginalized resource users with powerful information, giving them a greater voice in local decision-making.

For a quick summary of the results, click here (PDF, 208 Kb). For the full Coastal Capital report, click here (PDF, 1,001 Kb). To view maps of the shoreline protection analysis, click here. Click here to learn more about one WRI’s project partners, Buccoo Reef Trust.

Shoreline Protection by Coral Reefs, Relative Reef Contribution - Tobago

Payson Schwin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:49:48 -0400

The relative stability of Tobago’s shoreline was evaluated using the coastal protection framework developed by IMA and WRI. Data on coastal geomorphology, geology, wave height, storm events, and elevation, as well as coral reef type, continuity, and distance offshore were integrated to evaluate the stability of the shoreline for all of Tobago. Areas with steeply cliffed coastlines as well as areas protected by coral reefs have some of the highest stability values.

The framework was also used to evaluate the contribution of coral reefs to shoreline stability. The relative reef contribution is zero in areas not protected by a coral reef, and ranges from about 25 percent where the shoreline has relatively good protection due to other factors, to 42 percent where the shoreline would be most vulnerable without the reef. The relative share of protection provided by coral reefs is particularly high behind the Buccoo Reef in southwest Tobago and in Roxborough Bay, as well as along several other portions of the windward coast.

Shoreline Protection by Coral Reefs - Tobago

Payson Schwin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:46:00 -0400

Much of Tobago’s coastline is bordered by near shore, fringing reefs. Southwest Tobago is characterized by a lagoonal system enclosed by the Buccoo Reef. Shoreline segments protected by coral reefs were defined as those within 100 m of a fringing reef, or enclosed by a lagoon-forming reef. Using this definition, nearly 90 km (just under half) of Tobago’s coastline was classified as protected by a coral reef.

Land Vulnerable to Wave Induced Erosion and Storm Damage - Tobago

Payson Schwin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:33:00 -0400

The definition of “land vulnerable to wave-induced erosion and storm damage” is based on expected wave heights and storm surge associated with a 25-year storm event, adjusted to be precautionary in light of anticipated sea level rise and increased storm intensity associated with warming seas. Vulnerable lands are defined as any land area of 5m or less elevation, within one km of the coast, as well as all land immediately adjacent to the coast (as defined by the 25m grid cell adjacent to the sea). Just over 6% of Tobago’s land area was classified as vulnerable to wave-induced erosion and storm damage (about 19 sq km).

Coral Reefs - Tobago

Payson Schwin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:30:00 -0400

Coral reef data for Tobago come from the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project and R. Laydoo. Updated at WRI based on reef observations from Trinidad Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA).