McKinney-Lambert: Focus on green infrastructure to combat climate-related changes

The Bahamas has to invest in green infrastructure in order to combat climate change events like sea level rise and beach erosion, Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation Executive Director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert told Guardian Business, contending that beach renourishment, which could cost as much as $20 billion into 2050 as suggested by a recent World Bank report, is not a feasible strategy for The Bahamas to deal with the effects of climate change.

McKinney-Lambert explained that The Bahamas has to tackle the effects of climate change through natural channels like coral reef, mangrove and beach dune protection and restoration; and by not allowing anymore development on those dunes and close to beaches.

“We absolutely need to build with proper coastal setbacks and take into account coastal elevation in land use planning,” said McKinney-Lambert.

“We can’t afford to lose our beaches by not adhering to proper coastal setbacks that take into account sea level rise. We also need to invest in green infrastructure, protecting and restoring our coral reefs, mangroves and beach dunes. Intact coral reefs can break wave energy by 97 percent and are our first line of defense from increasingly strong storms. The Andros Barrier Reef was absolutely essential in protecting lives and infrastructure when Hurricane Matthew hit. These ecosystem services of coral reefs cannot be underestimated.”

The World Bank report that was designed to be a “guide to prepare the Caribbean for a new generation of shocks”, explained that The Bahamas could spend as much as $20 billion on the high end on beach nourishment, “assuming linear erosion between 2020 and 2050 and using current beach nourishment costs”.

“These estimates show that beach nourishment can be an affordable solution to erosion in many countries,” the report states.

“But in The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica and Turks and Caicos, the cost is high and countries will need a strategy to either select the beaches they want to protect, or complement sand nourishment with other measures that reduce erosion, such as submerged breakwaters or vegetation on the beach, assuming there is no infrastructure.”

McKinney-Lambert said beach renourishment “is not a feasible strategy to address sea level rise and other climate threats”. 

She explained that The Bahamas has to protect the natural environmental processes that have naturally acted as buffers to this country’s coastline. 

She added that more needs to be done to protect against the pollution that destroys these barriers.

“We need more energy and investment in protecting the natural barriers that protect us,” she said.

“It’s absolutely essential that we maintain healthy coral reefs, for example. In addition to climate change, additional threats to coral reefs include land-based pollution and run-off from coastal development, physical damage from ship groundings and anchor damage and overharvesting of species such as parrotfish that are important for maintaining reef health.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/mckinney-lambert-focus-on-green-infrastructure-to-combat-climate-related-changes/