Climate Change Impact Analysis

1
Climate Change Impact Analysis
Erin Bray Eric Gamage Allison Sobel Brown
University Center for Environmental Studies
2
Sea Level Rise

• Sea level in RI will rise another foot by 2100 at
  the current rate of temperature increase
• We are using GIS to map the level of inundation
  along the Rhode Island coast, projected for 2025,
  2050, and 2100
• Estimated economic costs
• Permanent loss of beach front property and land
• Increases in water-borne disease

3
Hurricanes and Storm Surges

• Effects of increased frequency
• Images of flood water heights against RI
  facilities
• Economic impacts
• Estimates of property and infrastructure damage

4
Other Economic Impacts

• Vulnerable markets include
• Tourism, Fishing, Insurance, Marinas
• Losses predicted with
• GIS maps of lost commercial property
• Cost estimates for each industry
• Possible costs for adaptation methods i.e.
  seawalls, hurricane barriers, beach restoration

5
Format and Structure

• GIS illustrated brochure
• Website with images reports

6

• What should be emphasize, to be most helpful to
  education/outreach?
• Suggestions to more effectively present our
  findings to the public? To decision-makers?
• Erin Bray Erin_Bray_at_brown.edu
• Allison Sobel Allison_Sobel_at_brown.edu
• Eric Gamage Eric_Gamge_at_brown.edu