THE ABILITY OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS TO REDUCE STORM SURGE AND COASTAL EROSION IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Global warming and climate change are expected to have a profound influence on weather-related hazards in the Caribbean. Possible effects include more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as tropical storms and hurricanes; increase in the rate of sea level rise; increased coastal erosion; potential destruction of fisheries; drought; and saline intrusion into freshwater lenses. These impacts are exacerbated by inappropriate human interventions that influence and magnify the effects of events such as floods, storm surge, landslides and drought through improper planning and poor execution of mitigation practices. This study focuses on the contribution of ecosystems to the reduction of risks related to climate variability and change.