This paper defends the interest of addressing a territory's resilience based on the reconstruction of chains of impacts of past catastrophic events. The concept of chain of impacts, which had been proposed to the French Ministry of Ecology to be included in the national strategy on adaptation to climate change [ONERC, 2012], has been applied to tropical cyclones that hit the Tuamotu atolls (French Polynesia) in the framework of the RDT research project Reomers (2013-2016). The results highlight: (1) The intensity and high variability of tropical cyclones impacts, from which key lessons can be learnt to strengthen resilience. (2) The crucial role of the lessons learnt from past events in the reduction of these atolls' vulnerability based on prevention enhancement and vital resources securing, in particular. (3) The barriers to risk reduction and adaptation to climate change (archipelagic structure of the Tuamotu, stakeholders' conflicts and lack of financial means). (4) The complex and intertwined processes, both physical (sediment supply allowing island upward growth) and socio-economic (increase in agriculture productivity and improvement of living conditions), through which past cyclones have contributed to the strengthening of atoll resilience, which emphasize the need for atoll-specific and integrated adaptation to climate change strategies. (5) The new forms of vulnerability that were generated by the processes driving resilience, which increased atolls dependency towards Tahiti concerning food supply (increase in food imports and relating dependency on cash work, and induced health problems). Importantly, the method used to reconstruct chains of impacts: (i) is applicable to any type of territory and event; (ii) allows identify levers to reduce current risks; (iii) addresses the adaptation to climate change challenges.
Duvat, VKE; Magnan, AK; Canavesio, R
Reconstructing chains of impacts to assess a territory's resilience and support coastal risk reduction
Houille Blanche-Revue Internationale De L Eau