ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal, ISSN NO. 2456-1037
Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE
Vol. 07, Issue 12, December 2022 IMPACT FACTOR: 8.20 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) 197
THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON COASTAL COMMUNITIES
Prof. Anil Kumar Shende
I/C Principal, Raja Bhoj Government College Katangi, Balaghat (M.P.)
Abstract- Climate change is a global phenomenon that is causing sea levels to rise and coastal communities to face increasing risks from storms, flooding, and erosion. This study aims to investigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and the adaptation strategies that are being implemented to mitigate these effects. A review of the literature was conducted to gather information on the current state of knowledge in this field. The results indicate that coastal communities are facing significant challenges as a result of climate change, including increased frequency and severity of storms and flooding, as well as erosion of beaches and other coastal ecosystems.
1 INTRODUCTION
Climate change is one of the most significant global challenges of our time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reported that the Earth's average surface temperature has risen by about 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era, and that this warming is primarily caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels (IPCC, 2014). One of the most visible impacts of climate change is the rise in sea level, which is projected to continue for centuries even if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced (IPCC, 2014). This rise in sea level is causing coastal communities to face increasing risks from storms, flooding, and erosion, and is likely to have significant social and economic impacts on these communities.
Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Communities: Coastal
communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of their location and the fact that many of these communities are built on low-lying land that is at risk of flooding (Hinkel et al., 2014). The increased frequency and severity of storms and flooding as a result of climate change are causing
damage to buildings,
infrastructure, and ecosystems, and are also disrupting economic activities such as tourism and fishing (Hinkel et al., 2014).
Additionally, rising sea levels are causing erosion of beaches and other coastal ecosystems, which can also have negative impacts on tourism and other economic activities (Hinkel et al., 2014).
2 ADAPTATION STRATEGIES Coastal communities are implementing a variety of
ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal, ISSN NO. 2456-1037
Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE
Vol. 07, Issue 12, December 2022 IMPACT FACTOR: 8.20 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) 198
adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
These include building seawalls and other protective structures, elevating buildings and infrastructure, and relocating communities to higher ground (Hinkel et al., 2014). Additionally, natural ecosystems such as wetlands and dunes can provide a measure of protection against storms and flooding, and are being preserved or restored in some coastal communities (Hinkel et al., 2014).
3 CONCLUSION
Coastal communities are facing significant challenges as a result of climate change, including increased frequency and severity of storms and flooding, as well as erosion of beaches and other coastal ecosystems. Adaptation strategies such as building protective structures, elevating buildings and infrastructure, and preserving natural ecosystems can help to mitigate these impacts, but it is important that such efforts are integrated into broader coastal management plans and that they take into account the social and economic needs of the communities.
REFERENCES
1. Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K.
Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)].
IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp.
2. Coastal flooding and wetland loss in the 21st century: an indicator-based assessment of the effects of global change. Environmental Science &
Policy.
3. Hinkel, J., Klein, R.J.T., Lincke, D., Vafeidis, A.T., Perrette, M., Nicholls, R.J., Brown, S., Spencer, T., and Hinkelmann, R. 2014.
4. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2014.
