Climate Change Case Studies (requires google chrome browser)
See our 360 tour case studies of locations dealing with Climate Change in Wales and Internationally.
I1 - Collaroy-Narabeen is a 3.6km beach located on the Northern Beaches of Sydney's coastline, it is world famous with surfers. Properties built across the entire back-beach are now at the forefront of climate change.
Credits: Prof. Andrew Short (University of Sydney), Toni Wilson (Narrabeen Coastal Environment Center), Gwyn Nelson
I2 - Pago Pago Harbor is what remains of the volcanic crater that formed the main island Tutuila of American Samoa, South Pacific Ocean.
With an average depth of 30 fathoms (180 feet, 30 m) it is wide and deep enough to cater to any size ship or vessel. Several villages surround the harbor, including Utulei, Leloaloa, and Aua.
Credits: Kim McGuire (Dept. of Marine and Wildlife, American Samoa), Gwyn Nelson
I3 - Barranquilla – Ciénaga, Columbia. This is one of the most famous coastal erosion hotspots! Named the “19 km sector”, located on the main road between Barranquilla and Cienaga.
This 3 km stretch of road has experienced massive changes in the last 20 years, with erosion rates that have reached 21 metres per year. Coastal erosion affects two significant ecosystems of this region: The barrier islands system of the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta and the Pajarales Lagoon Complex.
Credits: Prof. Nelson Guillermo Rangel Buitrago (University Atlantico), Prof. Allan Williams (University of Wales Trinity Saint David), Myah Horsford
I4 - Katwijk aan Zee, South Holland. The Netherlands is a low lying country. More than half of it lies below sea level. Without dykes and dunes, the people living there would be flooded.
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To learn more you can visit: kustwerkkatwijk.nl
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Credits: Dr. Frank van der Meulen (Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands), Prof. Allan Williams (University of Wales Trinity Saint David), Gwyn Nelson
I5 - Marina di Pisa, Italy. Marina di Pisa was built as a ‘new town’ at the end of the 19th century on the apex of the southern lobe of the River Arno delta.
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Credits: Prof. Enzo Pranzini (University of Florence), Prof. Allan Williams (University of Wales Trinity Saint David), Myah Horsford
I6 - Slapton Sands, England. The A379 is a challenging site to manage. Situated above a highly mobile shingle barrier beach, it passes through a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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Credits: Dr. Timothy Poate (University of Plymouth), Myah Horsford, Hannah Richards
I7 - Playetas Baru, Columbia. The recent shoreline evolution on the Playetas sector has been influenced by a strong erosive behavior that makes it one of the most tragic examples of erosion and loss of land along the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
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Credits: Prof. Nelson Guillermo Rangel Buitrago (University Atlantico), Prof. Allan Williams (University of Wales Trinity Saint David), Myah Horsford
I8 - Chittagong, Bangladesh. Chittagong; officially called Chattogram, is regarded as the largest industrial and commercial port in Bangladesh, and one of the central ports in the Indian Ocean.
Because of this, many migrate with the hope of finding work, resulting in an estimated population of over 5 million. However, with the effects of climate change increasing, and the extreme population size, the consequences of flooding in Chittagong are far beyond manageable.
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Credits: Hannah Richards, Myah Horsford
I9 - Highcliffe, Dorset. Highcliffe Beach is a popular tourist destination on the coast of Dorset, Southern England. The town of Highcliffe extends right to the modern-day cliff edge, and includes the historic Highcliffe Castle, built in the 1830s. The cliffs have a long history of extreme erosion and many coastal management strategies and coastal defences have been implemented over the decades to try and slow this erosion down.
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Credits: Hannah Richards, Myah Horsford, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, The Channel Coastal Observatory