CLIMATE CHANGES IMPACTS ON THE ALBANIAN COAST AND ADAPTATION CHALLENGES

The Drini and Mati River Deltas (DMRD) are 2 of 3 deltas found on the northern Adriatic coast of Albania. River deltas are a distinct feature of the northern coastal region which extends from the Albania-Montenegro border in the north to the Rodoni Peninsula in the south. The DMRD harbors significant biodiversity values, and this is recognized under the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP, 1999). Three main types of habitat are found between the2 deltas: (i) marine, (ii) wetlands including estuarine, riverine, lacustrine and palustrine, and (iii) non-wetland habitats including forests, shrubs and open fields where traditional agriculture is practiced. The projected temperature increase (about 1.8°C and 3.2°C by respectively 2050 and 2100, especially higher in summer) and precipitation decrease (about 8% and 16%, by 2050 and 2100) is likely to have as consequence milder winter, warmer springs, hotter and drier summer and drier autumn. More hot days and hot waves, frequent and intensive drought (with increased fire risk) are expected. These changes in climate are expected to place additional stress on marine and littoral biodiversity as well as livelihoods of local communities. Sea level rise (projected to increase from 18 cm to 59 cm, up to 2100), more frequent and intense floods, aggressive erosion, frequent inundation and longer submersion of low lying coastal areas could affect life cycles of species and pose risks of habitat loss and fragmentation of a unique compound ecosystem consisting of sandy dunes, lagoons and coastal wetlands. Agriculture and tourist infrastructure are prone to flooding caused by storm surges (like in December-January in 2009 and 2010). To increase the adaptive capacity of ecosystems and livelihood, a set of on-the ground adaptation measures, such as coastal dune habitat restoration, modification of DMRD protected area network planning and coverage, and other landscape-wide adaptation policy measures are planned to be implemented within the frame of the project “Identification and implementation of adaptation response measures in the Drini-Mati River deltas” (GEF/UNDP).