An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands

Owing to their high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity, Caribbean islands have legitimate concerns about their future, based on observational records, experience with current patterns and consequences of climate variability, and climate model projections. Although emitting less than 1% of globa...

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Otros Autores: NU. CEPAL. Sede Subregional para el Caribe
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: ECLAC, Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean 2015
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Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11362/38609
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id oai-11362-38609
record_format dspace
institution Cepal
collection Cepal
language English
topic DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
CAMBIO CLIMATICO
ZONAS COSTERAS
ZONAS MARINAS
PESQUERIAS
CLIMA
ASENTAMIENTOS HUMANOS
ANALISIS COSTO-BENEFICIO
ASPECTOS ECONOMICOS
POLITICA ENERGETICA
SERVICIOS ECOSISTEMICOS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
CLIMATE CHANGE
COASTAL AREAS
MARINE AREAS
FISHERIES
CLIMATE
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC ASPECTS
ENERGY POLICY
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
spellingShingle DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
CAMBIO CLIMATICO
ZONAS COSTERAS
ZONAS MARINAS
PESQUERIAS
CLIMA
ASENTAMIENTOS HUMANOS
ANALISIS COSTO-BENEFICIO
ASPECTOS ECONOMICOS
POLITICA ENERGETICA
SERVICIOS ECOSISTEMICOS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
CLIMATE CHANGE
COASTAL AREAS
MARINE AREAS
FISHERIES
CLIMATE
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC ASPECTS
ENERGY POLICY
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
description Owing to their high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity, Caribbean islands have legitimate concerns about their future, based on observational records, experience with current patterns and consequences of climate variability, and climate model projections. Although emitting less than 1% of global greenhouse gases, islands from the region have already perceived a need to reallocate scarce resources away from economic development and poverty reduction, and towards the implementation of strategies to adapt to the growing threats posed by global warming (Nurse and Moore, 2005). The objectives of this Report are to conduct economic analyses of the projected impacts of climate change to 2050, within the context of the IPCC A2 and B2 scenarios, on the coastal and marine resources of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The Report presents a valuation of coastal and marine services; quantitative and qualitative estimates of climate change impacts on the coastal zone; and recommendations of possible adaptation strategies and costs and benefits of adaptation. A multi-pronged approach is employed in valuing the marine and coastal sector. Direct use and indirect use values are estimated. The amount of economic activity an ecosystem service generates in the local economy underpins estimation of direct use values. Tourism and fisheries are valued using the framework developed by the World Resources Institute. Biodiversity is valued in terms of the ecological functions it provides, such as climate regulation, shoreline protection, water supply erosion control and sediment retention, and biological control, among others. Estimates of future losses to the coastal zone from climate change are determined by considering: (1) the effect of sea level rise on coastal lands; and (2) the effect of a rise in sea surface temperature (SST) on coastal waters. Discount rates of 1%, 2% and 4% are employed to analyse all loss estimates in present value terms. The overall value for the coastal and marine sector is USD $1,606 million (mn). This is almost 2% larger than BVI’s 2008 GDP. Tourism and recreation comprise almost two-thirds of the value of the sector. By 2100, the effects of climate change on coastal lands are projected to be $3,988.6 mn, and $2,832.9 mn under the A2 and B2 scenarios respectively. In present value terms, if A2 occurs, losses range from $108.1-$1,596.8 mn and if B2 occurs, losses range from $74.1-$1,094.1 mn, depending on the discount rate used. Estimated costs of a rise in SST in 2050 indicate that they vary between $1,178.0 and $1,884.8 mn. Assuming a discount rate of 4%, losses range from $226.6 mn for the B2 scenario to $363.0 mn for the A2 scenario. If a discount rate of 1% is assumed, estimated losses are much greater, ranging from $775.6-$1,241.0 mn. Factoring in projected climate change impacts, the net value of the coastal and marine sector suggests that the costs of climate change significantly reduce the value of the sector, particularly under the A2 and B2 climate change scenarios for discount rates of 1% and 2%. In contrast, the sector has a large, positive, though declining trajectory, for all years when a 4% discount rate is employed. Since the BVI emits minimal greenhouse gases, but will be greatly affected by climate change, the report focuses on adaptation as opposed to mitigation strategies. The options shortlisted are: (1) enhancing monitoring of all coastal waters to provide early warning alerts of bleaching and other marine events; (2) introducing artificial reefs or fish-aggregating devices; (3) introducing alternative tourist attractions; (4) providing retraining for displaced tourism workers; and (5) revising policies related to financing national tourism offices to accommodate the new climatic realities. All adaptation options considered are quite justifiable in national terms; each had benefit-cost ratios greater than 1.
author2 NU. CEPAL. Sede Subregional para el Caribe
author_facet NU. CEPAL. Sede Subregional para el Caribe
format Texto
title An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
title_short An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
title_full An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
title_fullStr An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
title_full_unstemmed An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands
title_sort assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the british virgin islands
publisher ECLAC, Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean
publishDate 2015
url http://hdl.handle.net/11362/38609
_version_ 1718440848380657664
spelling oai-11362-386092021-09-06T19:08:42Z An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the British Virgin Islands NU. CEPAL. Sede Subregional para el Caribe DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE CAMBIO CLIMATICO ZONAS COSTERAS ZONAS MARINAS PESQUERIAS CLIMA ASENTAMIENTOS HUMANOS ANALISIS COSTO-BENEFICIO ASPECTOS ECONOMICOS POLITICA ENERGETICA SERVICIOS ECOSISTEMICOS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE CHANGE COASTAL AREAS MARINE AREAS FISHERIES CLIMATE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS ECONOMIC ASPECTS ENERGY POLICY ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Owing to their high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity, Caribbean islands have legitimate concerns about their future, based on observational records, experience with current patterns and consequences of climate variability, and climate model projections. Although emitting less than 1% of global greenhouse gases, islands from the region have already perceived a need to reallocate scarce resources away from economic development and poverty reduction, and towards the implementation of strategies to adapt to the growing threats posed by global warming (Nurse and Moore, 2005). The objectives of this Report are to conduct economic analyses of the projected impacts of climate change to 2050, within the context of the IPCC A2 and B2 scenarios, on the coastal and marine resources of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The Report presents a valuation of coastal and marine services; quantitative and qualitative estimates of climate change impacts on the coastal zone; and recommendations of possible adaptation strategies and costs and benefits of adaptation. A multi-pronged approach is employed in valuing the marine and coastal sector. Direct use and indirect use values are estimated. The amount of economic activity an ecosystem service generates in the local economy underpins estimation of direct use values. Tourism and fisheries are valued using the framework developed by the World Resources Institute. Biodiversity is valued in terms of the ecological functions it provides, such as climate regulation, shoreline protection, water supply erosion control and sediment retention, and biological control, among others. Estimates of future losses to the coastal zone from climate change are determined by considering: (1) the effect of sea level rise on coastal lands; and (2) the effect of a rise in sea surface temperature (SST) on coastal waters. Discount rates of 1%, 2% and 4% are employed to analyse all loss estimates in present value terms. The overall value for the coastal and marine sector is USD $1,606 million (mn). This is almost 2% larger than BVI’s 2008 GDP. Tourism and recreation comprise almost two-thirds of the value of the sector. By 2100, the effects of climate change on coastal lands are projected to be $3,988.6 mn, and $2,832.9 mn under the A2 and B2 scenarios respectively. In present value terms, if A2 occurs, losses range from $108.1-$1,596.8 mn and if B2 occurs, losses range from $74.1-$1,094.1 mn, depending on the discount rate used. Estimated costs of a rise in SST in 2050 indicate that they vary between $1,178.0 and $1,884.8 mn. Assuming a discount rate of 4%, losses range from $226.6 mn for the B2 scenario to $363.0 mn for the A2 scenario. If a discount rate of 1% is assumed, estimated losses are much greater, ranging from $775.6-$1,241.0 mn. Factoring in projected climate change impacts, the net value of the coastal and marine sector suggests that the costs of climate change significantly reduce the value of the sector, particularly under the A2 and B2 climate change scenarios for discount rates of 1% and 2%. In contrast, the sector has a large, positive, though declining trajectory, for all years when a 4% discount rate is employed. Since the BVI emits minimal greenhouse gases, but will be greatly affected by climate change, the report focuses on adaptation as opposed to mitigation strategies. The options shortlisted are: (1) enhancing monitoring of all coastal waters to provide early warning alerts of bleaching and other marine events; (2) introducing artificial reefs or fish-aggregating devices; (3) introducing alternative tourist attractions; (4) providing retraining for displaced tourism workers; and (5) revising policies related to financing national tourism offices to accommodate the new climatic realities. All adaptation options considered are quite justifiable in national terms; each had benefit-cost ratios greater than 1. .-- I. Introduction.-- II. Background.-- III. Literature review.-- IV. Impact scenarios for coastal and marine sector.-- V. Methodology.-- VI. Results.-- Adaptation and benefit-cost analysis. 2015-07-14T17:24:14Z 2015-07-14T17:24:14Z 2011-10-22 Texto Documento Completo http://hdl.handle.net/11362/38609 LC/CAR/L.310 en .pdf application/pdf ISLAS VIRGENES BRITANICAS BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS ECLAC, Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean