Publication:
The Impact of Sea Level Rise on Developing Countries : A Comparative Analysis

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dc.contributor.authorDasgupta, Susmita
dc.contributor.authorLaplante, Benoit
dc.contributor.authorMeisner, Craig
dc.contributor.authorWheeler, David
dc.contributor.authorYan, Jianping
dc.date.accessioned2012-06-05T20:08:00Z
dc.date.available2012-06-05T20:08:00Z
dc.date.issued2007-02
dc.description.abstractSea level rise (SLR) due to climate change is a serious global threat. The scientific evidence is now overwhelming. Continued growth of greenhouse gas emissions and associated global warming could well promote SLR of 1m-3m in this century, and unexpectedly rapid breakup of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets might produce a 5m SLR. In this paper, the authors have assessed the consequences of continued SLR for 84 developing countries. Geographic Information System (GIS) software has been used to overlay the best available, spatially-disaggregated global data on critical impact elements (land, population, agriculture, urban extent, wetlands, and GDP) with the inundation zones projected for 1-5m SLR. The results reveal that hundreds of millions of people in the developing world are likely to be displaced by SLR within this century, and accompanying economic and ecological damage will be severe for many. At the country level, results are extremely skewed, with severe impacts limited to a relatively small number of countries. For these countries (such as Vietnam, A. R. of Egypt, and The Bahamas), however, the consequences of SLR are potentially catastrophic. For many others, including some of the largest (such as China), the absolute magnitudes of potential impacts are very large. At the other extreme, many developing countries experience limited impacts. Among regions, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa exhibit the greatest relative impacts. To date, there is little evidence that the international community has seriously considered the implications of SLR for population location and infrastructure planning in developing countries. The authors hope that the information provided in this paper will encourage immediate planning for adaptation.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/02/7383552/impact-sea-level-rise-developing-countries-comparative-analysis
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/7174
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper; No. 4136
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectAGRICULTURE
dc.subjectANTARCTIC ICE SHEETS
dc.subjectANTARCTICA
dc.subjectASPECT
dc.subjectATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
dc.subjectATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION
dc.subjectBIODIVERSITY
dc.subjectCENTER
dc.subjectCENTRE
dc.subjectCLIMATE
dc.subjectCLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subjectCOAST
dc.subjectCOASTAL AREAS
dc.subjectCOASTAL STATES
dc.subjectDATA QUALITY
dc.subjectDATA SETS
dc.subjectDATA SOURCES
dc.subjectDEVELOPING COUNTRIES
dc.subjectDIGITAL ELEVATION
dc.subjectDIGITAL ELEVATION MODEL
dc.subjectFLOODS
dc.subjectFRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subjectGDP
dc.subjectGEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
dc.subjectGEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
dc.subjectGIS
dc.subjectGLACIERS
dc.subjectGLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectGLOBAL WARMING
dc.subjectGREENHOUSE GAS
dc.subjectGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
dc.subjectGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
dc.subjectHEAT WAVES
dc.subjectHUMAN ACTIVITY
dc.subjectICE CAPS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
dc.subjectIPCC
dc.subjectLAKES
dc.subjectLAND AREA
dc.subjectLAND SURFACE
dc.subjectLAND USE
dc.subjectMIDDLE EAST
dc.subjectNATIONAL POPULATION
dc.subjectNORTH AFRICA
dc.subjectNUMBER OF PEOPLE
dc.subjectOVERLAY
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER
dc.subjectPOTENTIAL IMPACTS
dc.subjectPROGRESS
dc.subjectQUALITY ASSURANCE
dc.subjectQUALITY CONTROL
dc.subjectREGIONAL IMPACTS
dc.subjectRESOURCE ALLOCATION
dc.subjectRISING SEA LEVELS
dc.subjectRIVER
dc.subjectRIVER DELTAS
dc.subjectSAHARA
dc.subjectSCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
dc.subjectSEA LEVEL
dc.subjectSEA LEVEL RISE
dc.subjectSHORELINES
dc.subjectSOUTH ASIAN
dc.subjectSTORMS
dc.subjectSUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
dc.subjectTA
dc.subjectTHE GAMBIA
dc.subjectTOLERANCE
dc.subjectURBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectURBAN POPULATION
dc.subjectWAVES
dc.subjectWETLAND
dc.subjectWETLANDS
dc.subjectWETLANDS LOSS
dc.titleThe Impact of Sea Level Rise on Developing Countries : A Comparative Analysisen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.dataset.urlhttps://datacatalog.worldbank.org/node/172666
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/02/7383552/impact-sea-level-rise-developing-countries-comparative-analysis
okr.globalpracticeEnvironment and Natural Resources
okr.globalpracticeWater
okr.globalpracticeHealth, Nutrition, and Population
okr.guid156401468136816684
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-4136
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000016406_20070209161430
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum7383552
okr.identifier.reportWPS4136
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2007/02/09/000016406_20070209161430/Rendered/PDF/wps4136.pdfen
okr.topicGeographical Information Systems
okr.topicHealth, Nutrition and Population::Population Policies
okr.topicCountry Strategy and Performance
okr.topicClimate Change
okr.topicWater Resources::Wetlands
okr.topicEnvironment
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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