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Climate Change Risk
Assessment Report:
Portland Bight Protected Area
Prepared by
Climate Studies Group, Mona (Jamaica)
University of the West Indies

For:
Caribbean Coastal Areas Management Foundation (C-CAM)

April 2013

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This report will form one of five deliverables of a consultancy awarded by the Caribbean Coastal
Areas Management Foundation (C-CAM) to the Climate Studies Group, Mona (CSGM). It is an assessment of the physical and socio-economic vulnerabilities of the Portland Bight Protected
Area (PBPA) due to climate threats. The analysis was carried out through reviews of existing relevant literature, limited analysis of climate variables for the region and surveys conducted among some residents of the PBPA.
The original Terms of Reference is provided in the appendices.
Within the context of the Terms of Reference, the objectives of this report are interpreted to be:
(a) To describe what is known about the climatic conditions of the Portland Bight Protected
Area.
(b) To describe the climatic hazards to which the PBPA is exposed and the impact of climate change. (c) To examine the risk posed by the climatic hazards to the biodiversity of the PBPA.
(d) To do the above, where possible for the entire PBPA, but with an emphasis on the two dry forest regions of Hellshire Hills and Portland Ridge.
(e) To provide any additional climatic data as appropriate to support vulnerability analyses of the PBPA and the creation of a robust long term and sustainable adaptation management plan for the PBPA.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project was implemented by the C-CAMF with funding from the Critical Ecosystems
Partnership Fund. The CSGM acknowledges the lead of Dale Rankine and the oversight of Dr.
Michael Taylor on this deliverable. Our sincerest gratitude is also extended to all the other individuals who participated in the compilation of this report. They include researchers, fieldworkers and students from the

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