human environment effects of sea level rise (4) KIRIBATI
- economic cost - infrastructure
- housing
- food supply issues
- climate change refugees
physical environment effects of sea level rise (3) KIRIBATI
- coastal erosion
- contamination of freshwater
- increase in sea temp = coral bleaching
back ground to KIRIBATI
- 4000km SW of Hawaii in central pacific ocean
- 33 atolls (20 inhabitants)
- 134,000 population
- most atolls 4m above sea level
- Tarawa is less than 3m above sea level
Annual GDP vs relocation cost KIRIBATI
GDP = 600,000
relocation = 2 billion
Permanently submerged island KIRIBATI
island Abanuea permanently submerged in 1999
Island growing KIRIBATI
Betio grew 36 hectares
fish lost KIRIBATI
island Abaiang freshwater milkfish (protein) is now lost
Average sea level rise KIRIBATI
3.7 mm
food supply issues KIRIBATI
production of coconut copra accounts for 55% of island peoples income declining due to sea level rise
Taro grown underground 200m from coast is threatened by contaminated groundwater
2013 gov purchased 20km² from the church of england for farming and fishing
human environment climate change refugees KIRIBATI
Tenbunginako 1970s groundwater contaminated forcing people inland
2000s - village moved 50m inland
today some houses/churches are surrounded by saltwater moat
physical environment coastal erosion KIRIBATI
average 3.7mm per year since 1992
displacing those from their generational land plots since 1900s
storm surges break sea walls
physical environment contamination of freshwater KIRIBATI
coral limestone’s are porous allowing sea water to infiltrate the rising sea levels have contaminated the wells
physical environment rising sea temp KIRIBATI
coral are very sensitive to temp changes due to coral bleaching as they lose their algae causing starvation decreasing growth = decreased reproduction = death
short term responses PINATUBO (3,1)
+1. Gov created natural disaster coordinating council - provided immediate housing, medical, social workers
+2. health advisorys issued - how to deal with ash, irritated skin/eyes and asthma
+3. foreign gov and NGO provided humanitarian relief
-4. NEGATIVE - disease 30,000 used Amoranto Velodome for shelter disease spread quick 600/850 deaths due to disease
Long term responses PINATUBO (3,3)
+1, Lahar warning system established sounded for lahars since 1991
+2. june 1991 gov set up task force with 6 year mandate and 10 billion peso to assist with resettlement, employment
+3. 2011 gov spent 50 billion on rehabilitation
-4. efforts to trap lahars via levees and dams failed
-5. since 1991 dozens killed by lahars
-6. since eruption 100,000 houses destroyed by lahars
Preparation for the volcano PINATUBO (2)
- Monitoring - 2nd of april saw steam emmissions
PHIVOLCS on site monitoring
10km danger zone declared
USGs arrived with scientific equipment - seismometers
40-50 daily earthquakes
Sulphur dioxide levels increased 500-5000 tonnes in 5 weeks - Hazard maps - immediately drawn up
Sulphur dioxide levels slightly decreased indicating magma was holding gas - explosive eruption
Phased evacuation - 3rd june 20,000within 20km
7th June 120,000 within 18km
Evaluation of preparation PINATUBO (5,2)
+1. Hazard maps were accurate
+2. Only 850 deaths with 1mllion living close to
+3. Monitoring costs low - 1.5million
+4. Evacuations cost 40 million but 20,000 lives saved
+5. 20 / 20,000 Atea highlanders died
-1. Hazard maps underestimated extent - predicted 40km ash fall but 65km some places
-2. Typhoon Yunya - heavy rain increased weight of ash damaging/collapsing buidings
25 years after eruption PINATUBO (5)
- 4000 families live in resettlements sites
- No good source of income
- 56km wall built to trap lahars
- 500 people many of Aeta found jobs as guides
- Atea people left the area for the uplands to grow crops.
Preparation for Tohoku Building codes (3,3)
+1. most rigorous in the world. 1950 Kyutaishin enforced with 1981 even stricter
+2. little structural damage - 18k out of 125k 14% buildings destroyed
+3. 250 out of 19781 1.3% deaths or missing due to building collapses
-1. collapsing ceilings
-2. some still collapsed even with high codes
-3. 20-30% buildings only comply with 1950s codes
preparation for Tohoku tsunami walls (1,1)
+1. 40% coastline protected by 12km walls
-1. 94.5% of deaths caused by tsunami
Responses to Tohoku Fukushima nuclear meltdown (1,1)
+1. immediate evacuation - 20km 80,000 people then 136,000 from 20-30km advised to remain indoors
-1. long term issues due to radiation
15 times increase in cancer
fish inedible till 2021 impact on food supply
Responses to Tohoku Tsunami sea walls (1,4)
+1. a plan produced to construct 400km long 12m high sea wall. 440 sections adjoined costing £6.8 billion
-1. controversial as £1.6 billion wall collapsed in 2011
-2. 90% sea walls in NE were damaged
-3. disrupts sea walls
-4. negative impacts on local fisherys
