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Understanding current and future vulnerability in coastal settings: community perceptions and preferences for adaptation in Zanzibar, Tanzania

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Abstract

Many developing countries are already affected by multiple stressors, which have increased their vulnerability to accelerated negative environmental change. Coastal erosion, deforestation and habitat fragmentation become even more serious problems in coastal locations when coupled with the projected impacts of climate change. However, anticipatory adaptation to such changes as increased coastal erosion and extreme events does not need to wait for specific climate scenarios, but is more reliant on the examination of current vulnerabilities and the range of possible no-regret strategies. These need to, however, accommodate multiple stakeholder preferences. This study therefore examines coastal communities’ perceptions of environmental change in northeast Zanzibar, Tanzania and their preferences for adaptive strategies, while simultaneously examining physical change processes through change analysis. The study suggests coastal forest buffer zones as an anticipatory adaptation measure, which is based on soft measures such as vegetation planting, awareness raising and stakeholder cooperation.

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Acknowledgements

The article is based on the research project “Practical measures to tackle climate change: coastal forest buffer zones and shoreline change in Zanzibar, Tanzania”, which is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The views in this article, however, are of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ministry. The authors also wish to thank all anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments; any errors remain the authors’ responsibility. The authors would also like to thank Dr David Gritten for his useful comments and insights in the preparation of the article. The research project is conducted within the current laws of Zanzibar, Republic of Tanzania.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    J. Mustelin, R. G. Klein & T. Sitari

  2. Department of Commercial Crops, Fruits and Forestry, Zanzibar, Tanzania

    B. Assaid, M. Khamis, A. Mzee & T. Haji

  3. Griffith Centre for Coastal Management and Urban Research Program, School of Environment, Griffith University, QLD, 4222, Australia

    J. Mustelin

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  1. J. Mustelin
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  2. R. G. Klein
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  6. A. Mzee
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  7. T. Haji
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Mustelin, J., Klein, R.G., Assaid, B. et al. Understanding current and future vulnerability in coastal settings: community perceptions and preferences for adaptation in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Popul Environ 31, 371–398 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-010-0107-z

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