Climate change induced sea-level rise projections for the Pichavaram mangrove region of the Tamil Nadu coast, India: A way forward for framing time-based adaptation strategies

Climate change induced sea-level rise poses serious threats to valuable coastal ecosystems like mangroves. However, projections of sea level rise at local level under different scenarios and for different time scale set forth greatest challenges to climate modelers. Further, information on location specific sea-level rise projections at local level are seldom available and rarely in the possession for the coastal managers and adaptation planners to frame suitable adaptation strategies to sea-level rise. In this context, this paper endeavors to provide local level sea-level rise projection for the Pichavaram mangrove region of the Tamil Nadu coast, India. A climate simulator model based on IPCC AR4 (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) has been used to project the sea-level rise at local level under different scenarios. The results revealed that the study area may experience sea-level rise ranging from 22.40 to 53.70 cm by 2100. Thus, the objective of this paper is to provide hands on information to facilitate coastal manager and adaptation planners to frame location specific and time based mangrove adaptation strategies to sea-level rise.