Assessment of coastal vulnerability and resilience to sea-level rise and climate change - Case study : Savai'i Island, Western Samoa - Phase 2 : Development of methodology

Abstract

lntegrated Coastal Zone ManagementProgramme forWestern Samoa and Fij i IslandsAssessment ofCoastal Vulnerabilityand Resilienceto Sea-Level Rise andClimate ChangeCase Study:Savai'i Island,Wes6@rmSaw@alPhase II :Development ofMethodologyMarch 1994South Pacific Regional Environment Programme(SPREP)Environment Agency, Government of Japan(EAJ)Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center" Japan (OECC) ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMMETeam LeaderIbaraki University Dr. ASESEI*A D. RAVIIY]UD;. FjRWIN BALOGIIDr. NOBUO MIMLJRAMT. KAZUHITO YAMADA Pacific region islands have numerouscoastal zone or in typhoons, cyclones vulnerable to The object study is to contribute the integrated management atThe studythis object.the methodology the impacts was tested was sponsored carried out the Overseas data and Dr. Michio 2.1. Introduction.... 2.5. Nationalvulnerabilityprofile Recent land/sea-level tectonic history - . . methodological development The revised - biological............. - individual - national... Remaining methodological 5.1. Selectionofstudysites.. rise on 6.1. Introduction rise on protection facilities . . and subsistence Possible threats to v€rsus subsistence the coast and the also shown.mean annual temperature data are from Apia The timescales which follows time during B. The trend is The difference curve is New 7*aland the Puapua sea-level rise wavepropagation calculationWave direction contours water wave of significant level riseweight of ratio of schools andchurches in and churches List of recent coastline thank Ausetalia Titimaea the Apiaand Talanoa are also the reprcsentatives at the the islands on the islands'coasts.by to niake main island the core core These maps will Ue ttre U..ir-ior "national vulnerability profi le.Development of a The recent the islands on Nu'utele. around the Ferry Berth site in Upolu and that along the easternmost part of Upolu'ssouth coast, which have experienced rapid subsidence during the Holocene. Other minor changes were made.to the estimating the comparative value element or its be treated another important sea-level associated sites was rather than the periphery coastline compared to many in or the core.Savai'i island is are largelymost parts rocks that the cash to cater their changing habits, and subsistence and only of study site, is on the eastern side of Savai'i. strong winds and storm recent hurricanes mentioned site shoreline surges and coastal erosion much more vulnerableto natural disasters than example, ensuring salt-tolerant, deep-rooting further inland; road exists shoreline structures around are designed are inadequate to cope existing facilities be raised The height to which facilities be raised determined on sea-level rise Towards an an accelerated rise on physical fabric of fallacious, although disruptive inoceans. There danger that the superficial long-term future result in considerably Despite the Samoa is made largely of high importance compared to their any except islands and industrial, manufact