Lorna V Inniss, Ph.D SAGE Workshop, New York City 2014-05-21
Why me? The globally recognized success of the Barbados ICZM programme has generated requests for technical assistance and CD from many Governments Grenada zero draft Coastal Zone Policy Advice on coastal erosion responses to Colombia, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Cook Islands
Presentation Outline What constitutes infrastructure development? The physical planning process Caribbean Infrastructure Policy Key Actors in Infrastructure Planning The Barbados Case The sustainability assessment process The use of science in Infrastructure Decisions MY opinion on Caribbean gaps and needs
What Constitutes Coastal Infrastructure in the Caribbean? Hard structures Eco-engineering Beach nourishment Re-vegetation Maintenance of coastal ecosystem services
Development in the Caribbean NEW TREND - If the action has the potential to change physical/ecosystem conditions or address DRR, it constitutes infrastructure development Conservation activities (Eg Marine Protected Areas and coral nurseries), Soft shoreline stabilization initiatives Conservation of natural, cultural and built heritage
Caribbean Infrastructure Policy Physical Planning Act Land Use Policy Physical development plan or land use plan Coastal Zone Management Policy Coastal Zone Management Act Coastal Zone Management Plan Building code (does not include coastal infrastructure design YET)
Key Actors in Infrastructure Planning Minister responsible for Physical Planning The Town and Country Planning office National Physical Planning Board OR Environmental Impact Assessment Panel The applicants/developers The key stakeholders (equity), and The public
The Role of Caribbean Researchers More and more, UWI is influencing, not just capacity development in the Caribbean, but conducting research that is relevant to decision making: UWI CERMES programmes UWI Coastal Engineering and Management UWI Center for Marine Sciences
The Barbados Coastal Planning System 9
How does the Planning Process work? An application is submitted to Chief Town Planner Town and Country Planning application to CZMU Consult the CZM Plan Conduct site assessment Internal Science Roundtable (Engineering, Planning, Marine Research, Hazards) Final CZMU recommendation Final approval of all coastal infrastructure development lies with the Minister 10
Coastal Zone Management Area Coastal Zone Management Area 11
Infrastructure Planning Considerations Check the storm surge inundation lines Enforcement of setbacks Maintain windows to the sea Beach access (lateral and perpendicular) Control of discharges Protection of vegetation and other buffers Protection of five lines of defense 12
Five Natural Lines of Defense 13
ANTHOPOGENIC STRESSORS Anchor damage Tourism pressure Land based sources of marine pollution Harvesting for sale Destructive fishing 14
THE SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT PROCESS
What Triggers an EIA Infrastructure Policy documents determine what types of development trigger the EIA process Major economic installations Still very focused on grey infrastructure (but not the design) Initiatives with the potential to create user/public conflict
EIA Process Town Planning Review EIA Process triggered EIA Expert Panel Convened Terms of Reference for the EIA developed Developer submits Draft EIA Intensive review by Panel (iterative process) Public Meetings to discuss proposal and EIA (social context) Expert decision recommended to Minister for Planning
The Special Case of Cuba Political system allowed the Government to raze coastal buildings and implement setbacks 300 yards from HWM Mandatory disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation COMMENT differing political systems
The Special Case of Haiti Extremely limited capacity development Limited, usually external, data and information collection and analysis Medium (not necessarily extreme) events take down the country Ecosystem services continue to be reduced, along with economic and social losses
Standards/Impacts Considered in EIA Process Water quality Pollutant discharge Building standards Groundwater protection zones Coastal and Nearshore Ecosystems Nearshore fisheries
Science in Planning Decisions Application of science is the greatest diversity Anecdotal information only - real-time, internationally accepted monitoring and analysis to inform planning decisions Technical and institutional capacity remains a weakness in many Caribbean SIDS Environmental monitoring and analysis is often a low priority
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Crane Beach Before 23
Crane Beach North 24
Data requirements for CZMA Currents, sediment transport models LIDAR Bathymetry Digital elevation models for the first five meters above the zero elevation 25
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Observations for Planning Coastal Engineering observations tides, currents, waves, marine weather and climate, erosion rates, sediment transport, storm Hazard observations extreme events impacts, storm surge inundation line, tsunami model outputs Marine Research observations water quality, coral diseases and bleaching, 27
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Hazard Data And Modelling Barbados is just incorporating specific data for eight (8) hazards Modelling for storm surge and tsunamis is slow but ongoing Capacity development is a complementary requirement, with observing systems, for the Caribbean 31
Welches 32
Rockley
Research and Data needs for Caribbean Infrastructure Planning High resolution bathymetry and coastal topography Water levels Meteorological parameters Nearshore wave transformations -models Beach profile observations Ecosystem observations Water quality, discharge observations Hazard data and information 34
Regional Needs and Gaps Understanding the hazards must be a first step Integration of all datasets for decision-making is limited No single data management system or repository (standard setting, QMS, archival, accessibility etc) Data presented for the Barbados program is collected mostly in a project context for other Caribbean SIDS 35
THANK YOU! Dr Lorna Inniss Director (Ag), CZMU, Barbados Tel: 246-228-5950 linniss@coastal.gov.bb 36