CPACC: A Regional Approach to the Application of GIS for Adaptation Planning to Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

 

Ian C King, Jacob Opadeyi, Colin Daniel and Leslie Walling

 

ABSTRACT

 

The Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change (CPACC) project is a four-year initiative serving twelve Caribbean countries.  The project’s overall objective is to support participating countries and relevant institutions prepare to cope with the effects of global climate change, particularly sea level rise.  GIS is a major element of the project through the development of coastal resource inventories and its application in vulnerability assessment, economic valuation and coastal planning.

 

This paper presents the methodology used in the design, development and implementation of GIS-based solutions in the regional project.  Aspects of the database design, application development, data management and capacity building undertaken using Esri’s suite of software shall also be presented.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change (CPACC) project is a four-year initiative serving twelve Caribbean countries.  The project’s overall objective is to support participating countries and relevant institutions prepare to cope with the effects of global climate change, particularly sea level rise, in coastal and marine areas through vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning, and capacity building linked to adaptation planning.  The Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the World Bank and executed by the Organisation of American States. A Regional Project Implementation Unit (RPIU), is responsible for actual implementation with the support of  the University of the West Indies through its Centre for Environment and Development (UWICED) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

 

The main beneficiaries of this project are national governments and the regional institutions including the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA).  Assistance will be provided to:

 

(i)                 Strengthen the regional capability for monitoring and analyzing climate and sea level dynamics and trends, seeking to determine the immediate and potential impacts of GCC;

(ii)               Identify areas particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and sea level rise;

(iii)             Develop an integrated management and planning framework for cost-effective response and adaptation to the impacts of GCC on coastal and marine areas;

(iv)              Enhance regional and national capabilities for preparing for the advent of GCC through institutional strengthening and human resource development; and

(v)                Identify and assess policy options and instruments that may help initiate the implementation of a long-term program of adaptation to GCC in vulnerable coastal areas.

 

There are nine components, four of which are regional and five pilot components.  All of the countries participate in the regional components and each country participates in one of the pilot components.  The components are as follows:

 

v     Regional Components

1        Design and Establishment of Sea Level/Climate Monitoring Network

2        Establishment of Databases and Information Systems

3        Inventory of Coastal Resources and Uses

4        Formulation of a Policy Framework for Integrated Coastal and Marine Management

v     Pilot Components and participating countries

5        Coral Reef Monitoring for Climate Change

§         Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica

6        Coastal Vulnerability and Risk Assessment

§         Barbados, Grenada and Guyana

7        Economic Valuation of Coastal and Marine Resources

§         Dominica, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago

8        Formulation of Economic/Regulatory Proposals

§         Antigua & Barbuda and St. Kitts & Nevis

9        Enabling the preparation of national Communication in Response to Commitments to the UNFCCC

§         St. Vincent & the Grenadines

 

 

GIS SOLUTIONS IN THE CPACC PROJECT

 

The development and application of GIS solutions in the CPACC project is implemented through Component 3 – Inventory of Coastal Resources and Uses.  This component is informed by the requirements of the individual country pilot components.  The development of a coastal resource inventory for the twelve countries will be based on both existing and new data, the latter collected primarily from remote sensing and through activities in the pilot components.  Further, agencies that have been designated as national repositories for project data will be provided with the both the data and the resources to facilitate their function.

 

The CRIS Process

 

The implementation of Component 3 will lead to the development of a Coastal Resource Inventory System (CRIS) for each of the countries.  The elements and objectives of the CRIS are outlined as follows:

 

v     Data Assessment

Ř      To assess the status of coastal resources management data in each of the participating countries.

v     Metadata creation

Ř      To establish a data catalogue for coastal resource inventories of each participating country.

v     Database Design and Management

Ř      To develop a database system design and management strategy for the coastal resource inventory.

v     Data Collection

Ř      To collect baseline coastal resource data for each participating country.

v     Data Automation/Conversion

Ř      To convert the baseline coastal resource data collected for each participating country into digital form.

v     Database Implementation

Ř      To implement the CRIS and deliver it to the appropriate agencies in each participating country.

v     Training

Ř      To develop the capacity to create, use and maintain a coastal resource inventory in each participating country.

 


Diagram I illustrates the relationship between the elements described and the pilot components.

 

 

 

 

The CRIS Design

 

The CRIS is a database with a user interface that allow greater access to the information by decision makers.  The spatial data will be stored and represented in Arcview GIS and the attribute data in Microsoft Access.

 

The CRIS main interface was designed within Microsoft Access in order to take advantage of its extensive built-in functionality.  It allowed for a quick and cost-effective development of a customized application with full relational database capability.  Users have the option of either following the simple menu structure or going straight to built-in features within Access (see Slide I).

 

 

Slide I

Users knowledgeable in Microsoft Access can employ additional functions of that software if they wish to work with the data more independently; the added menu structure is there for users who want more guidance.

 

Beyond the optional menu structure, there is the flexibility in how users can get information out of the attribute database. Because the editing and browsing capabilities were developed directly within Access, it is possible to take advantage of the built-in links between Access with Word and Excel.  While Access has the built-in capability to publish any data to Word or Excel, this capability is expanded to further allow users to send reports to customized Word and Excel templates (Slide II).

 

 

Slide II

 

 

As an example, Slide III shows the result of generating an Excel report using the CRIS. Not only will the data appear in an Excel spreadsheet, it also automatically graphs the data. The advantage of this feature is that users who are not very familiar with Excel can still produce graphs from application. Users knowledgeable in Excel are free to employ additional built-in features of Excel, if they wish to further analyze or graph the data.

 

Slide III

 

 

 

Finally, a mapping feature was added that allows users to view the data spatially in ArcView. Users invoke this feature by selecting “Run ArcView” from the CRIS main menu in Access. This opens a predefined ArcView project, and automatically displays a view displaying basemap themes for the geographic area of interest (Slide IV).

 

 

Slide IV

 

 

 

Once in ArcView, users can open the same list of summary tables that were available in Access. Each of these tables is automatically linked to the appropriate theme table (and vice-versa), allowing users to do spatial queries of their coastal resource data in two different ways.  First, users can select records in any attribute table and view the location of these records spatially. This allows users to view their attribute data, and then find out where these data are on a map. Secondly, users can select sites on the map, and have the attribute data for these sites be selected automatically in the appropriate attribute tables. This gives users the ability to zero in on particular data sets for specific sites.

 

Development of the Spatial Database

 

Existing data in analog and digital format will be incorporated into the CRIS.  This data was identified in the Data Assessment element for each of the respective countries.  This element commenced with the production of a Technical Implementation Guide for a coastal resource information system comprising of the data category, associated variables and the data to be recorded for each variable as well as a description of the importance of the data (Nurse and Opadeyi, 1998 – available at www.cpacc.org).  Detailed questionnaires were sent to each country to determine data availability, quality and access.  After lengthy review, data assessment and data strategy reports were produced to inform the metadata creation, data collection and database design.  Emphasis at this stage was on identifying reliable and relevant information for populating a spatial database.

 

Under the pilot components, data needs are identified based on the methodologies being applied and the sites being studied.  Following this process, each country will have priorities for data collection, which would inform the component 3 process.  Field data collection exercises are primarily undertaken in the pilot components. This data will be georeferenced for incorporation into the CRIS, either completely or in an aggregated format.

 

CPACC will also acquire remotely sensed data to support the pilot components, with the exception of Component 9 - Enabling the Preparation of National Communication in Response to Commitments to the UNFCCC.  The approach being adopted is to review available remote sensing options based on the requirements of the four pilot components being served and adopt the solution that is most effective given the limitation of resources.

 

All spatial data collected, developed and acquired will have associated metadata.  CPACC has adopted the Metalite software produced by the EROS Data Center of the USGS and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for developing metadata records.  Metalite was introduced to several of the countries and agencies involved in CPACC in 1997/98 through the UNEP regional office in Jamaica.  Further, the software represents a simplified version of the FGDC structure but is still designed to support access through Z39.50 servers.  The metadata is now available through the CPACC Clearinghouse Node currently hosted by the EROS Data Center.

 

Geo-referencing Attribute Data

 

Geo-referencing is the process of providing geographic or locational information to data that have been collected for a particular phenomenon. Once data have been geo-referenced, one can create maps to show locations of various events, query and find geographic features, and perform other complex spatial analysis.

 

The geographic referencing of attribute data may be general or specific depending on the resolution of data collection.  Methods of geo-referencing attribute data based on whether the data is related to a general area or specific area are presented below. 

 

In the context of the Caribbean CRIS, three levels of geo-referencing can be conceptualized: Country, Region (ie administrative area within a country), and Locality (ie community or pilot area).  A hierarchical unique identification system is proposed.  The countries of the Caribbean are at the top level. Each of the participating countries is divided into administrative areas (e.g. Parishes or Counties) and within each administrative area, important communities are identified.  The methods for geo-referencing attribute data collected at the general level of detail are presented below.

 

Country Level

 

At the top of the hierarchy, the Caribbean is divided into countries. Each CPACC participating country (Figure I) will be assigned a unique 2-character identifier, as proposed in Table I.

 

 

Table I: Proposed Unique Country Identifiers

 

CountryID

Country Name

Variable

10

Antigua and Barbuda

 

15

Bahamas, The

 

20

Barbados

 

25

Belize

 

30

Dominica

 

35

Grenada

 

40

Guyana

 

45

Jamaica

 

50

St. Kitts and Nevis

 

55

St. Lucia

 

60

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 

65

Trinidad and Tobago

 

 

 

Region Level

 

The data model requires that each participating country be divided into geographic Regions (e.g. Parishes or Counties) and a unique number is assigned to each of these areas.  Using St. Vincent and the Grenadines as an example, the country is administratively divided into six parishes (Region Name) and an RegionID is assigned as shown in Table II.  The number structure is xxyy: where xx is the CountryID and yy is the assigned area number.  See Figure II for the proposed identifiers for the parishes in St. Vincent.

 

 

Table II: Unique Identifiers for Regions within a Country

(St. Vincent and the Grenadines)

 

Region Name

RegionID

Variable

St. George

6001

 

St. Andrew

6002

 

St. Patrick

6003

 

St. David

6004

 

Charlotte

6005

 

Locality Level

 

The next level requires that important communities (Locality) within each administrative region (Region) be uniquely identified. Table III provides examples of important localities (Locality Name) in St. George Parish in St. Vincent and proposed unique identifiers for these localities (LocalityID).  A seven digit numbering system is proposed: xxyyzzz, where xx represents the country code; yy is the parish code; and zzz is the location identifier.

 

Table III: Unique Identifiers for Locations within an Area (St. George Parish)

 

Locality Name

LocalityID

Variable

Kingston

6003001

 

Arnos Vale

6003002

 

Cane Garden

6003003

 

Greathead bay

6003004

 

Young Island

6003005

 

Indian Bay

6003006

 

 

 

Geo-referencing Specific Spatial Features

 

Within each Locality, specific spatial features are referred to as Locations. The three models for the representation of Locations are Points, Lines, and Polygons.  Points are used to represent features whose dimensions may be ignored depending on the resolution required.  Examples of point features are water quality sample points and the location of rain gauges. Lines are used to represent features in which their widths are ignored but their lengths are considered to be important (e. g. rivers, water pipelines, sewer lines, high water marks).  Polygons are used to represent features in which their shape and dimensions are considered to be important (e.g. wetlands, waste disposal sites).  The methods for geo-referencing these features are discussed below.

 

Point Features

 

Where the attribute data are collected at a particular location referenced as a point, then a coordinate system must be used to geo-reference the point.  A geographic system of Longitude / Latitude or a grid system of Northing / Easting (UTM) may be used to reference the point.  The choice of a coordinate system should be based on the common practice in each of the countries.  Where possible the WGS84 coordinate system should be used especially if the use of GPS receivers is being contemplated.  Each point feature should be assigned a unique point identifier (e.g. PointID field in Table IV) and a pair of coordinates (Longitude and Latitude or Northing and Easting.

 

 

Table IV: Examples of Unique Identifiers for Point Features within a Location

(Indian Bay)

Location Name

LocationID

PointID

Longitude

Latitude

Variable

Indian Bay

6003006

80

 

 

 

 

 

81

 

 

 

 

 

82

 

 

 

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

84

 

 

 

 

Linear Features

 

Where the attribute data are collected for a particular location referenced as a line, then a system of coordinates must be used to geo-reference the line.  A spatial database of the line feature is developed and a unique identifier is assigned to the feature.  The spatial database would hold the coordinates and unique identifier of the feature while in the relational table each line feature is assigned a unique line identifier (e.g. LineID field in Table V) and the other attributes of the line feature.

 

Table V: Unique Identifiers for Line Features within a Location

(Indian Bay)

 

Location Name

LocationID

LineID

Variable

Indian Bay

6003006

115

 

 

 

116

 

 

Polygon Features

 

Where the attribute data are collected for a particular location represented as a polygon feature, then a system of coordinates should be used to geo-reference the polygon.  A spatial database of the polygon feature is developed and a unique identifier is assigned to the feature.  The spatial database would hold the coordinates and unique identifier of the polygon feature while in the relational table each polygon feature is assigned a unique identifier (e.g. PolygonID field in Table VI) and the other variables of the polygon feature.

 

 

Table VI: Examples of Unique Identifiers for Polygon Features within a Location

(Indian Bay)

 

Location Name

LocationID

PolygonID

Variable

Indian Bay

6003006

20

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

There are several options in the choice of geo-referencing methods. The choice of a method depends firstly on the characteristics of the spatial feature being referenced, and secondly on the following related issues:

§         Type of data source - images favour scanning while maps can be scanned or digitized;

§         The database model required - scanning easier for raster while digitizing for vector;

§         Density of data - dense linework makes for difficult digitizing;

§         Expected applications of the GIS implementation;

§         Accuracy attainable;

§         Time;

§         Coordinate and projection system;

§         Costs;

§         Sustainability of method in the local environment.

 

Efforts would be made to evaluate the options and issues before commitments are made.

 

 

Capacity Building

 

The approach to capacity building under Component 3 has been to ensure, at least one key agency in each country understands the processes involved in the development of all aspects of the CRIS, and has the basic capability to manage, maintain and develop the system to support decision making.  Further, whereas the main focus is on an agency that has some capability to manage spatial data, involving other agencies that are expected to be primary users of the CRIS is another element of the capacity building strategy. 

 

Each country was requested to designate a lead agency for coordination of each of the regional components and their pilot component.  The lead agency for component 3 was given the responsibility of national repository for the spatial data and the CRIS in particular.  The intention has been to supplement the designated national repositories’ capability to manage, maintain and develop spatial databases and specifically the CRIS.  Further, the agencies through the participants in the training are expected to contribute to the CRIS development process.  These agencies would also be expected to provide technical support to other national agencies likely to use the CRIS. 

 

The training element of the process supports the various stages of the CRIS development, particularly the data assessment, data collection, metadata creation and data automation and conversion (see Diagram I).  The format of the training activities undertaken to date have been regional workshops.  These have involved, metadata development and data automation/conversion (see www.cpacc.org for workshop reports).  These workshops have involved two persons per country, usually one from the national repository and the other an agency likely to use the CRIS such as a Fisheries Department of a Coastal Zone Management Agency. 

 

A third workshop addressing the administration of the CRIS is planned for September 2000 with expected participation from the national repository.  The final activity addressing the use of the CRIS will be based on the final product and will be conducted through national seminars in each country, utilizing the personnel from the agencies involved in the CRIS development process.

 

Beyond the training being conducted in support of the CRIS development, CPACC has also sought to address deficiencies in key agencies by two main approaches.  Where specifically requested, CPACC has facilitated one-week GIS introductory classes at the national level.  This was undertaken to ensure that a basic level of confidence and understanding in the use of GIS in decision-making was established among key national stakeholders.  This is considered a part of the preparatory process for utilization of the CRIS.  CPACC has also supported a UWI one-year modular certificate in geographic and land information system (CGLIS), including sponsoring participation from CPACC countries.  This initiative provides more rigorous individual development for officers from repository or lead agencies.  This will also allow for application of the CRIS.

 

Provision of equipment, including ArcView 3.2 is also integral to the capacity building activities.  Each of the repositories will receive computer equipment to support their function.  Also, these agencies are being provided with ArcView 3.2 and in limited cases Arcview extensions such as spatial analyst and 3D analyst to support defined activities.  In this latter regard, CPACC is working with Esri and its regional distributors to ensure adequate country support for the software acquired.

 

As in the case of training, individual country needs are being assessed and additional equipment will be provided to ensure agencies have the minimal capacity to utilize the  technology introduced.

 

 

REVIEW

 

Up to the end of May 2000, several of the elements of the CRIS were completed or well advanced, as in the case of Metadata creation.  Each country was given a target of producing a minimum of 100 metadata records, which will be hosted initially by the EROS Data Centre.  With a few exceptions due to resource limitations, this target was realized by the end of May 2000.

 

The database design element of the CRIS is on schedule and has being tested against sample data from the Caribbean Marine Productivity Programme (CARICOMP) based at the Centre for Marine Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica.  Acquisition of remotely sensed imagery should commence by June 2000 and be completed by August.

 

The capacity building element of the process is well advanced and proven to be successful.  The intention of this element was to ensure the countries not only understood how to use the final product, but also understood the entire exercise and could properly maintain and develop the database and user interface.  Beyond realizing this objective, the approach of regional workshops and the involvement of largely the same personnel from each country has allowed a network of regional expertise to develop which has already begun to provide support to participating countries.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

CPACC is a regional project representing 12 countries and implementing 9 distinct components.  With its limited resources, it goals are restricted to demonstrating adaptation strategies.  This is also the case in the development of the CRIS for each country.  The final product will not be comprehensive, however, what has been undertaken is to ensure that a feasible approach and the required capability is developed in all the countries for taking the initiative forward.

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

The authors wish to express gratitude to Mrs. Dulcie Linton of the CARICOMP Data Management Centre, Centre for Marine Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica for access to the data for testing the CRIS structure. A special thank you is also extended to Ms. Jennifer Watson who assisted in formatting this document. Appreciation must also be expressed to the CPACC Regional Project Implementation Unit and in particular the Project Manager, Dr. Ulric Trotz, for permission to document the CPACC process for the benefit of the wider scientific community.

 

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION

 

Ian C King
 Information Systems Coordinator/GIS Specialist
CPACC Regional Project Implementation Unit
Lazaretto Complex, Black Rock, St Michael, BARBADOS
Telephone (246) 417-4580
Fax (246) 417-0461
Email kingcpacc@sunbeach.net

Jacob Opadeyi (PhD)
Centre for Geospatial Studies
University of the West Indies
St. Augustine, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Telephone (868) 645-3232 ext. 3313
Fax (868) 662-4414
Email jopadeyi@hotmail.com or jopadeyi@uwi.eng.tt

Colin Daniel
ESSA Technologies Ltd.
1595 16th Avenue, # 301, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3N9, CANADA
Telephone (416) 657-2170
Fax (416) 657-2172
Email cdaniel@essa.com

Leslie Walling
Deputy Project Manager/Coastal Zone Management Specialist
CPACC Regional Project Implementation Unit
Lazaretto Complex, Black Rock, St Michael, BARBADOS
Telephone (246) 417-4580
Fax (246) 417-0461
Email wallingcpacc@sunbeach.net