Coastal modelling and its suitability for use in SIDS

Various coastal modelling techniques exist but not all maybe of interest to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) because of limited resources. The coastal environment epitomizes intricate and fragile associations where several processes (natural and anthropogenic) occur together that sculpt the coastline. The need for numerical modeling arose to inform management of the coastal zone especially with limited extensive datasets in SIDS. A review of the literature was conducted and a brief historical progression of the coastal science to present day was provided. This lead to the development of models with various capabilities, strengths and weaknesses that were used as coastal management tools. Following this, selected modelling techniques were analyzed for their suitability in SIDS. Finally, recommendations on how numerical models can assist SIDS in coastal management were provided. It was found that SIDS faced common coastal challenges and utilized numerical models for solutions to their mitigation. Additionally, SIDS have overlap among state bodies with management for coastal resources. Coastal management may be assisted with models as they can be applied to challenging coastal issues spatially and temporally. Effective and sustainable coastal management requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders in the form of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) approach for SIDS that includes use of models where suitable.