Climate Change Risk Modelling to support the National Adaptation Plan of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Project leader : ImageCat Inc.; Willis Towers Watson
Dates : N/A
Classification
Risks
Solutions
Actors
Costs
N/A
Summary
Guided by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Environment, this project provides climate change risk modelling datasets, analytics, and associated stakeholder/capacity building activities to support National Adaptation Plan development. Hence, the project seeks to :
- Assess available data on exposure, hazard and vulnerability, and identify gaps required to model the impacts of climate change on Antigua and Barbuda;
- Characterize the impacts of climate change-related events (i.e. tropical cyclones, droughts, marine heat waves, extreme non-tropical cyclone rainfalls);
- Undertake stakeholder engagement and capacity-building activities to both inform on the climate risk modelling and build risk management understanding.
In addition to quantifying risks on grey infrastructure (man-made residential, commercial, and public assets), the project recognizes the critical role of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in supporting social, economic, and cultural activities across the islands. Thus, natural capital and ecosystem services were quantified using Geographical Information System (GIS) -based spatial analysis alongside the climate hazard modelling.
Actions
The project entails the modelling of climate change risks to support Antigua and Barbuda’s National Adaptation Plan development. It undertakes assessing available data on exposure, hazard and vulnerability, and identifying gaps required to model the impacts of climate change on Antigua and Barbuda.
The project also includes the characterization of impacts of climate change-related phenomena in Antigua and Barbuda which include: 1) tropical cyclones (wind and storm surge), 2) drought (increased temperatures and low precipitation), and marine heat waves and 3) extreme non-tropical cyclone rainfall events.
In addition to quantifying risks on grey infrastructure (man-made residential, commercial, and public assets), the project recognizes the critical role of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in supporting social, economic, and cultural activities across the islands. Thus, natural capital and ecosystem services were quantified using Geographical Information System (GIS) -based spatial analysis alongside the climate hazard modelling.
This initiative undertakes stakeholder engagement and capacity building activities to both inform climate risk modelling, to improve risk management understanding and the use of technical project outputs beyond the end of the project period.
Outcomes
Although the project is still ongoing, achievements/lessons to date include:
- The importance of undertaking stakeholder/capacity building activities early on during the project to ensure that outputs align with end-user requirements.
- The importance of climate change data and risk assessments to policy, planning and the overall national development agenda.
Partners
Technical partners: Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Department of Environment, Kinetic Analysis Corporation (KAC), UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Sustainability Managers