Panel Discussion on the Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Zones

The second day of GFDD and FUNGLODE’s International Forum on Climate Change featured presentations by experts in the areas of climate change and its impact on coastal areas.

 

Alicia Villamizar, Director of the Institute of Natural Resources at the Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela, affirmed that in coastal areas, climate change is adversely affecting both climate and sea-level rise. She argued that during the coming
decades,

the impact of climate change on climate and sea-level rise would become even more exacerbated due to anthropic activities. Villamizar also mentioned that due to inherent limitations in adaptation capacity, the degree to which developing coastal areas in the Dominican Republic will need to adapt to climate change will be more so than in developed countries.

In order to confront the challenge climate change poses for sea-level rise, Villamizar stressed the need to employ strategies of adaptation and mitigation.

 

The Eastern Zone of the Dominican Republic as a Case Study

 

Alejandro Herrera-Moreno, President of Ecomar, presented a study on the impact of climate change in the areas of Bavaro y Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Herrera-Moreno presented data conducted by Cuban experts regarding the average regional rise in temperature. According to Herrera-Moreno, this study predicts that in 2010, the area will experience a 0.3
degree Celsius temperature rise, and that in 2030, the area will experience a 0.7 degree Celsius temperature rise. The study predicts that in 2010 the area will expe