Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Caribbean Small Island Developing States: Integrating Local and External Knowledge

Abstract

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are vulnerable to climate change impacts including sea level rise, invasive species, ocean acidification, changes in rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, and changing hazard regimes including hurricanes, floods and drought. Given high dependencies in Caribbean SIDS on natural resources for livelihoods, a focus on ecosystems and their interaction with people is essential for climate change adaptation. Increasingly, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) approaches are being highlighted as an approach to address climate change impacts.

Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Food Security in the AIMS SIDS: Integrating External and Local Knowledge

“…Similarly to other SIDS (see [10]), there is a lack of specific information regarding local and external knowledge for EbA for food security. Methodologies and tools reviewed in Section 2 identify the "how" of integrating knowledge with the references, often giving step-by-step methods accompanied by case examples.…”

“…To overcome such challenges, as with Caribbean SIDS (see [10]), the AIMS SIDS can learn from the Arctic region's "Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic" (ELOKA) [103]. Similarly to MSV, but for the Arctic only, ELOKA's goal is to facilitate the collection, preservation, exchange, and use of local knowledge by providing data management and by fostering collaboration between local and international researchers.…”

“…That study identified ten methodologies from DRR, including CCA, which are used for integrating knowledge bases [10] and which could be applied to EbA for food security. Two further methodologies are included here.…”

“…There are many examples demonstrating how local and external knowledge are used in relation to ecosystems (e.g., [10,44,81,82]), food security (e.g., [83][84][85][86]), and climate change impacts (e.g., [87][88][89][90][91][92]). Table 2 provides a few SIDS examples, including from the AIMS region.…”

“…Strengths and limitations of participatory planning methodologies, tools and approaches for integrating local and external knowledge for climate change adaptation (CCA) and/or disaster risk reduction (DRR) alongside opportunities for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) approaches for food security in a changing climate (adapted from [10]; see also Section 3). Participatory Planning Methods and Approaches…”