CIRCE case study on the impact of climate change on the Gulf of Gabès
Tourist development on the island of Djerba
The Gulf of Gabes is an extremely shallow basin off the Tunisian Coast. Due to its shallow depth the marine ecosystem is particularly sensitive to rising temperatures. Low-lying lands surrounding the Gulf and the islands of “Kerkennah”, “Kneis” and “Djerba” (an expanding tourism zone) are highly vulnerable to sea-level rise and to erosion. Air warming may also reinforce the vulnerability in particular for outdoor summer activities.
The major areas of research in this case study are the impact of climate change on the marine ecosystem and on coastal erosion. Possible effects of changing weather conditions on the Tourism sector are also studied.
The Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM) is the CIRCE partner leading on this case study.