Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana
Climate change and its associated sea-level rise are expected to significantly affect vulnerable coastal communities. Although the extent of the impact will be localised, its assessment will adopt a monitoring approach that applies globally. The topography of the beach, the type of geological materi...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2013-08-01
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| Series: | Jàmbá |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jamba.org.za/index.php/jamba/article/view/60 |
| _version_ | 1811223720001273856 |
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| author | Kwasi Appeaning Addo Michael Adeyemi |
| author_facet | Kwasi Appeaning Addo Michael Adeyemi |
| author_sort | Kwasi Appeaning Addo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change and its associated sea-level rise are expected to significantly affect vulnerable coastal communities. Although the extent of the impact will be localised, its assessment will adopt a monitoring approach that applies globally. The topography of the beach, the type of geological material and the level of human intervention will determine the extent of the area to be flooded and the rate at which the shoreline will move inland. Gleefe, a coastal community in Ghana, has experienced frequent flooding in recent times due to the increasing occurrence of storm surge and sea-level rise. This study used available geospatial data and field measurements to determine how the beach topography has contributed to the incidence of flooding at Gleefe. The topography is generally low-lying. Sections of the beach have elevations of around 1 m, which allows seawater to move inland during very high tide. Accelerated sea-level rise as predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will destroy homes of the inhabitants and inundate the Densu wetlands behind the beach. Destruction of infrastructure will render the inhabitants homeless, whilst flooding of the wetlands will destroy the habitats of migratory birds and some endangered wildlife species such as marine turtle. Effective adaptation measures should be adopted to protect this very important coastal environment, the ecology of the wetlands and the livelihoods of the community dwellers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:37:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4c11d4db5375468385beaa2379fbaec0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1421 2072-845X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:37:16Z |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Jàmbá |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c11d4db5375468385beaa2379fbaec02022-12-22T03:39:59ZengAOSISJàmbá1996-14212072-845X2013-08-0151e1e810.4102/jamba.v5i1.6083Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, GhanaKwasi Appeaning Addo0Michael Adeyemi1Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of GhanaDepartment of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of GhanaClimate change and its associated sea-level rise are expected to significantly affect vulnerable coastal communities. Although the extent of the impact will be localised, its assessment will adopt a monitoring approach that applies globally. The topography of the beach, the type of geological material and the level of human intervention will determine the extent of the area to be flooded and the rate at which the shoreline will move inland. Gleefe, a coastal community in Ghana, has experienced frequent flooding in recent times due to the increasing occurrence of storm surge and sea-level rise. This study used available geospatial data and field measurements to determine how the beach topography has contributed to the incidence of flooding at Gleefe. The topography is generally low-lying. Sections of the beach have elevations of around 1 m, which allows seawater to move inland during very high tide. Accelerated sea-level rise as predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will destroy homes of the inhabitants and inundate the Densu wetlands behind the beach. Destruction of infrastructure will render the inhabitants homeless, whilst flooding of the wetlands will destroy the habitats of migratory birds and some endangered wildlife species such as marine turtle. Effective adaptation measures should be adopted to protect this very important coastal environment, the ecology of the wetlands and the livelihoods of the community dwellers.https://jamba.org.za/index.php/jamba/article/view/60Climate ChangeSea Level RiseFlooding, GhanaAccraShoreline Change |
| spellingShingle | Kwasi Appeaning Addo Michael Adeyemi Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana Jàmbá Climate Change Sea Level Rise Flooding, Ghana Accra Shoreline Change |
| title | Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana |
| title_full | Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana |
| title_short | Assessing the impact of sea-level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in Accra, Ghana |
| title_sort | assessing the impact of sea level rise on a vulnerable coastal community in accra ghana |
| topic | Climate Change Sea Level Rise Flooding, Ghana Accra Shoreline Change |
| url | https://jamba.org.za/index.php/jamba/article/view/60 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kwasiappeaningaddo assessingtheimpactofsealevelriseonavulnerablecoastalcommunityinaccraghana AT michaeladeyemi assessingtheimpactofsealevelriseonavulnerablecoastalcommunityinaccraghana |