Climate risk and vulnerability assessment framework for Caribbean coastal transport infrastructure

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are heavily dependent on coastal transport infrastructure—including ports, airports, and their access roads—for economic activity. That same coastal transport infrastructure is often highly vulnerable to impacts of climate variability and change, including hurricanes, sea level rise, increased temperatures, and changing precipitation patterns. This report details:

1. The importance of understanding and addressing coastal transport infrastructure climate change vulnerabilities in SIDS.
2. Key findings from a set of two case studies—one in Jamaica and one in Saint Lucia.
3. A climate risk and vulnerability assessment framework for Caribbean coastal transport infrastructure The framework provides a structured way for organizations in SIDS to approach climate change adaptation.

Climate change adaptation can be daunting, particularly when gaps in data create uncertainties around what conditions may arise and what the costs of impacts and the costs and effectiveness of responses may be over time. This framework is intended to help SIDS overcome these challenges by providing a practical approach that uses available data to inform decision-making at a facility, local, and national level. The primary audience is port and airport managers in Caribbean SIDS, though it will also be relevant to local and national government agencies.