Adaptive strategies of local communities to coastal hazards in an atoll countries: the Kiribati

Department of Geography, UMR LIENSs, 6250 University of la Rochelle-CNRS, France
esmeralda.longepee@univ-lr.fr

Abstract

In the context of climate change, particularly regarding sea level rise, scientists are engaged in studies on low-lying areas, especially coral islands, but the formulation of practical recommendations is limited by the physical uncertainty inherent in climate forecasting. This article intends to address this issue through a study on vulnerability to coastal hazards. It is based on a three-month project in the Republic of Kiribati (South Pacific), and more particularly on four case studies conducted in the atoll where the capital, Tarawa, is situated. The objective is to define the awareness of the I-Kiribati people in terms of their exposure to coastal hazards, and their understanding of climate change.