TN Climate Change Mission to study “creation of coastal bio-shields”

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission has decided to initiate a study titled 'Rehabilitation of coastal habitats for climate change adaption through eco-friendly solutions' based on which the State Environment and Climate Change Department will create bio-shields along the state's coastline.

As per a document released by the Mission, bio-shields will be created by planting casuarina, palmirah, cashew, mangroves and other species the on the sand dunes and creating seagrass beds and coral reefs.

"The 1,076 km-long coastline of Tamil Nadu constitutes nearly 15 per cent of the total coastal length of India. It is endowed with a rich bio-diversity reserve now under great peril due to the exposure to human activities and settlements. Coastal vegetation has a significant potential to mitigate damage and save human lives by action as buffer zones during extreme natural events. Coastal ecology is under great threat from visible effects of climate change. The impact and intensity of hydro-meteorological disasters too are increasing," the document said.

It added that bio-shields constitute one such mechanism to safeguard the ecology of coastal areas and the livelihoods of fishing and farming communities.

Listing out the benefits of the bio-shields, the mission said that the shrubs will control erosion and stabilize the shore, green belts can alleviate wind energy and trees can reduce the force of devastating storm surges and waves.

Apart from this, trees along the coast will support bio-diversity. People living in hazard-prone coasts would benefit from green belt in terms of security, access to food, fodder, raw materials for industries, shelter and income.

During the study, suitable location and choice of species will studied apart from deriving planting technique and planting seasons.

The Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission has invited experts to conduct the study. The outcomes of the project are sand dune fixation, sand dune stabilisation and sand dune afforestation, the document listed.