Research Study: “A Holistic Approach to Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment: Pilot study in Thailand”, Stockholm Environment Institute, Bangkok, Suppakom Chinvanno, 2013
This Study offers a detailed case study of the Krabi, Province in Thailand and indicates how a more holistic approach can be applied to analyze the impact of climate change.
This case study focused on three major sectors in the Krabi province— agriculture, tourism, and inshore fisheries. The study outlines the impact of climate change on these sectors. For the agricultural sector in the Krabi province, climate change impact is associated with reduced rainfall amounts and anomalies in rainfall distributions. Most agricultural plantations are rain-fed, which might lead to significant concerns that there will be insufficient water to support agricultural activity in Krabi.
The study suggests that climate change impacts on the tourism sector are associated with fewer rainy days and much shorter monsoon seasons (reduced by four weeks in the 2030s). The rainy season is considered the low tourism season. Tourist activities are limited by rainy days. Therefore, climate change might benefit the tourism industry.
Finally, the study suggests that climate change impacts upon the inshore fisheries are associated with strong monsoons and increased sea level rise. Coastal fisheries use small boats, which cannot withstand strong monsoon winds. Most fishing communities are situated on small strips of land along the shoreline and are highly threatened by coastal erosion. Moreover, water consumption is primarily based on wells, which could be contaminated if the sea level rises, even seasonally.
Learn More
To read the full study click on the following link: www.asiapacificadapt.net or www.weADAPT.org
For more information about how a holistic approach in terms of socioeconomic factors, vulnerability assessment, and interactions between sector leads to an effective adaptation measure with respect to climate change in Thailand see http://www.climateadapt.asia/upload/publications/files/514169fa5d5faKrabi_v8_Web.pdf