Sea level rise due to climate change has negatively impacted Puerto Rico's coastal areas. Coastal erosion, loss of beaches and coastal habitats have affected tourism and livelihoods. Sea level rise also increases the risk of saltwater intrusion and mortality of coastal forests. Low-lying islands are particularly threatened by complete inundation with even modest levels of sea level rise. To mitigate these impacts, Puerto Rico needs to implement adaptation measures such as coastal defenses and zone planning. More work is still needed to prepare the island for future sea level rise at both short and long terms. Puerto Rico faces challenges similar to other Caribbean islands due to their low-lying coastal geography.

1. Impact of sea level rise in the
coastal zone of Puerto Rico island
Khrisia A. Torres Camacho
September 2, 2015
CIAM 6117: Coastal Resources

2.  What is a climate change?
 What is a sea level rise?
 What is an island?
 How the increase in sea level has impacted the coasts of Puerto
Rico?
 Control and Mitigation Measures
 Discussion
• Puerto Rico v.s other Carribean Islands
Outline

3.  Climate change is referring to any long-term change in the
climate of the Earth, or the climate of a region or city.
 This includes both heating and cooling, change in average
precipitation and heavy rain events, sea level rise and other
changes.
What is a climate change?
PRCCC,2013

4. What is a sea level rise?
 Sea level, is the height of the sea surface averaged over all
stages of the tide over a long period of time (Encyclopædia
Britannica,2015)
 Causes of global mean sea level rise
1. Warming the ocean (thermal expansion)
2. Loss of ice by glaciers and ice sheets
3. Reduction of liquid water storage on land
(IPCC,2013)

5. Regional sea level rise by the end of the 21st
century

6. Global Mean Sea Level Projections

7.  An island is land completely surrounded by water
What is an island?
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/carib.htm

8. How the increase in sea level has
impacted the coasts of Puerto Rico?

11. (PRCCC,2013)

13.  Forest- Increase the risk of salt intrusion- Tolerance levels-
Increase Mortality
 Tourism- Coastal erosion, Loss of beach area, Higher cost
to protect and maintain waterfronts and sea defense
 Livelihoods- increased can lead to coastal erosion and
related damage to structure that can affect livelihoods,
increase could results in the loss of coastal habitat that
serve as natural barriers
Sea level rise Impacts
(PRCCC,2013)

14. Sea level rise impacts
 Shorebirds and sea birds- starvation during migration stopovers
for re-fueling, displacement in to less optimal habitat, potential
increased in predation in less optimal habitat, nest abandonment
and mortality egg and chicks
 Loss of smalls islands (Guayanilla case)
(PRCCC,2013)

15.  Coral Reef
Other Impacts
(PRCCC,2013)

16. Coastal Zone Impacts
South area of Puerto Rico
Loiza

17. Control and Mitigation Measures
(Nicholls,2011)

18. Future impacts of sea level rise
 The magnitude of sea level rise
 Coastal physicography
 The level and manner of coastal development
 The success (or failure) of adaptation
(Nicholls,2011)

19. Discussion
 A short, medium and long term Puerto Rico we are prepared to
work with this situation? What remains to be done?
 As you can compare with other Caribbean islands?
 Other recommendations?

20. References
 Intergovernmental Panel on climate change. 2013. Projections of sea level rise.
https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/unfccc/cop19/3_gregory13sbsta.pdf
 Nicholls,RJ. 2011. Planning for the impacts of sea level rise. Oceanography 24(2): 144-157, doi:
10.5670/oceanog.2011.2011.34.
 Puerto Rico Council (PRCCC).State of Puerto Rico Climate 2010-2013 Excecute Summary. Assesing Puerto Rico Social-
Ecological vulnerabilities in a changing climate. Electronic Version. Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Management Program,
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources Management(NOAA-
OCRM), San Juan, Puerto Rico. pp 27
 Sea level. 2015. Enciclopedia Britanica. http://global.britannica.com/science/sea-level
 Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Sea level Rise
Viewer http://coast.noaa.gov/slr/
 Google Images
 http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/carib.htm
 http://www.miprv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/DSC_0202_1-e1348427237147.jpg
 http://recend.apextech.netdna-cdn.com/images/tn/0/36/3000/1530/900/447/2015/02/28/5685506.jpg