Grenada
Grenada, known as “The Isle of Spice,” is one of the smaller Caribbean nations in the Lesser Antilles. Located just north of Trinidad and Tobago. Grenada’s population is 177,207 and climbing slowly. Grenada’s coastline is 121km long and consists of a diverse marine and coastal ecosystem, including mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass beds, beach vegetations and lagoons. The Resilient Islands project was implemented within the Grenville Bay Area, in which portions of the shoreline have seen acute shoreline erosion and coastal flooding. Grenville bay faces the North Atlantic wave climate and can be considered a high-energy environment. The largest waves come from the East to Northeast and reach up to 3m of significant wave height and long periods. The most frequent incoming waves are easterly but present milder wave heights. It is also a micro-tidal region.
Guyana
Although Guyana is part of the southern American continent, it is considered part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana’s population is approximately 831,000 people. There are several large rivers These rivers lead to the sea whereby lots of wildlife habitats have adapted to the salt and fresh waters. Offshore significant wave heights show seasonal variation, peaking historically at 4m. Wave periods average 7.5s, reaching up to 16s. Waves come from 45–75° N, with winds between 3–8 m/s from the northeast, strongest in December–April. Currents are driven by tides, trade winds and, to a lesser extent, waves. The coastline of Guyana is below sea level, making it extremely prone to coastal flooding for example the Great Flood in 2005.
Jamaica
Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, measuring about 146 miles (235 km) long and 22 to 51 miles (35 to 82 km) wide. It is situated west of Haiti, south of Cuba. Its population is 2.8 million people. Jamaica’s diverse coastal ecosystem that plays a vital role in supporting both marine life and human populations. The coastal areas of Jamaica include various habitats, such as coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and sandy beaches, each contributing to the ecological health of the region. Jamaica’s coastal areas face significant vulnerability to climate hazards, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, storms, flooding, and saltwater intrusion. Falmouth is microtidal and has a semi-diurnal regime. Most waves come from the East and the currents appear to flow in a north-south direction, with the weaker currents occurring near the seabed. The mangroves present at the site are significantly impacted by anthropogenic pressures, exacerbating the effects of climate change.
Using one of the three Caribbean study sites previously mentioned, you can complete the following exercise:
1. Clearly identify the problem at the site
2. Identify any specific objectives to a coastal solution
3. Ascertain if a NbS may be suitable, if so, what should it look like
4. Identify what data or tools may be needed to implement such a NbS
5. Identify any potential or perceived obstacles to implementing any NbS at the sites
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