The Tamil Nadu coastline is about 1,076 km, with thirteen coastal districts, and it forms a fairly large contiguous and narrow coastal strip dotted with fragile ecological features and rampant development activities. There are major, existing and proposed, economic and infrastructure developments, including ports, power plants, highways and even airports, which are being planned very close to the shoreline along India’s coast.
Sea level rise will affect the coastline in India in a variety of ways, including inundation, flood and storm damage associated with severe cyclones and surges, erosion, saltwater intrusion, and wetland loss.
This report aims to highlight the financial implications of sea level rise on existing and proposed infrastructure along the Tamil Nadu coast and to provide thereby an “early warning” of the implications of indiscriminate development close to the shoreline. The study does not evaluate the impact on human populations along the coast from sea level rise, which is likely to cause devastation, as recent experience from cyclones and the tsunami indicate.
The study employs Geographic Information Systems and information available in the public domain. The analysis in this report provides preliminary estimates of the replacement value of major infrastructure, the present value of ecosystem services associated with damage to wetlands and the market value of land at risk from 1m of sea level rise by 2050.
Some of the specific points it makes are –
The report recommends a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of the entire coast, the integration of climate change considerations into all coastal infrastructure development, special efforts to protect wetlands, and the careful assessment of coastal protection measures and implementation of these where they may be useful.
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Download the report here -