Using radar based terrain mapping to model the vulnerability of 5 UK Overseas Territories to natural hazards and the value of natural capital in mitigating impacts.

Tender description

The Caribbean Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos) the South Atlantic Overseas Territories (Falkland Islands, St Helena, Ascension, Tristan and South George) are highly dependent on the natural environment for their economic and social wellbeing. The Territories are also reliant on very limited manmade assets. In the Caribbean in particular these manmade capital assets, and human life, are vulnerable to both natural and manmade disasters. The natural environment is itself susceptible to damage from human activities - resulting in loss of value to the economies of the Territories - but also provides a key role in protecting man made assets and protecting human well being. JNCC is initiating a suite of projects to integrate satellite data, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and economic assessments of environmental goods and services (derived from natural capital) with the following objectives: i. establish the Total Economic Value (TEV) of the terrestrial and marine natural environment to each of the ten listed Territories; ii. identify the priority natural capital assets and measurable attributes (Natural Capital Metrics) to monitor changes in value through time; iii. integrate natural capital valuations into national mapping (GIS) to define the spatial distribution of these natural assets (Value Mapping) and to promote the integration of such valuations into planning and policy making to improve long-term economic growth; Within the context of the Caribbean in particular JNCC wishes to assess the role and value of natural capital in protection of manmade capital through a terrain based model which assesses the vulnerability (susceptibility) of this manmade capital to natural hazards such as (but not limited to) storm surge or tsunami waves in the coastal zone and landslip or flash flooding in the terrestrial environment.