FAQ

Do you have a question regarding the Climate Impact Atlas for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (BES)? Perhaps you can find the answer on this FAQ page. Is your question not listed? Then contact us via the Helpdesk.

General

Below you will find answers to general questions regarding the Climate Impact Atlas for Bonaire.  

How to use the Climate Impact Atlas BES?

The atlas is an excellent starting point for local authorities to get an initial picture of the effects of climate change for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Furthermore, the atlas is of relevance to, e.g., educational establishments, students, businesses, and residents. It can be used free of charge.

What does the atlas consist of?

The atlas contains a viewer with maps. It also contains map explanations. They explain the maps in the viewer and help you to use them. In addition, there are climate scenarios in the atlas that show, for various themes, the range within which climate change is likely to develop. For Bonaire, there is also a tool that provides a nature-inclusive view of the island.


Maps

Below you will find answers to several questions on the map viewer.

How can the map viewer be used?

The viewer provides access to various maps to show how climate change may impact your area, focussing on flooding and heat. The basic maps give information on topics such as soil, vegetation, geology, mangrove and riverbeds.  Specific areas can be viewed by zooming in or by using the search function to search for a specific location.

How to select map layers in the viewer?

The map viewer contains all the maps. At the left side of the screen, you will see a box headed “Add map layers”. In this box, you can select the relevant map layers. The zoom feature enables users to zoom in on their own neighbourhood.

How can the map layers be viewed?

Did you select one or more map layers in the left-hand box? Then click on “View map layers” in the upper right-hand corner. A box will pop up enabling you to select a climate scenario. You can compare the current climate with four scenarios: the “Low” scenario, featuring a limited change in climate, and the “High” scenario, in which the climate changes significantly for 2050 and for 2100. The grey fields underneath each map layer indicate the scenarios available for that specific map. Do you not see a map while you have clicked on it? It is likely that the map is not available for the scenario you have selected. Try selecting the current climate or another scenario.

Are all the potential climate effects reflected in the atlas?

The map viewer contains map layers based on the availability of (spatial) open data. Not all potential climate effects have been or can be mapped.


Map explanations

Below you will find answers to several questions on how to use the map explanations.   

What is the difference between the map viewer and the map explanations?

The map viewer shows all the maps with a brief explanation. The map explanations provide background information to the main map layers in the map viewer and can assist you in using these maps. 

How can the map explanations be used?

The map explanations provide background information for the maps that are shown in the map viewer. They tell you what you see on the maps and help you to get to work with the information. The atlas comprises different map explanations, such as “Land surface temperature”, “Coral reef health” and “Future coastlines”. To access the map explanations, click on the tab in the menu bar. Also, you can click on the “more information” button beneath the legend on the right side of the screen to go the map explanations. 


Downloading data

Below you will find the answers to several questions about downloading data from the Climate Impact Atlas.

How can the map images be downloaded?

To download a map image in PDF format, click on the printer icon in the map viewer. To retrieve GIS files, please use the form under the “Download Data” tab.

How can the underlying data be downloaded?

The GIS files can be retrieved via the form provided under the “Download Data” tab. This is free of charge, as the files contain open data provided as Geopackage/Geotiff. Are you using data from the Climate Impact Atlas BES? This data is covered by the Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0). This means that its source must be credited by quoting “Climate Impact Atlas BES, 2024”. In addition, we suggest referring to the underlying data source. To find out which organisation has developed the map, see the source beneath the legend.

Can data from the Climate Impact Atlas BES be used for other purposes?

Yes, data from the Climate Impact Atlas BES be used for other purposes. As the Climate Impact Atlas BES features open data, government bodies and private parties may use the information in external applications, such as risk dialogues. Are you using data from the Climate Impact Atlas BES? This data is covered by the Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0). This means that its source must be credited by quoting “Climate Impact Atlas BES, 2024”. In addition, we suggest referring to the underlying data source. To find out which organisation has developed the map, see the source beneath the legend.

What are the costs involved in using data from the Climate Impact Atlas BES?

The Climate Impact Atlas BES is an open platform: the information is public. Consequently, the data from the atlas can be used free of charge. In the map viewer, the data can be downloaded in PDF format, free of charge. The helpdesk can provide you with the data in GIS format, also free of charge.

Who is accountable, should data in the atlas prove incorrect?

The maps in the atlas are intended to get some perception of the scope of climate effects, and to place the issue of climate adaptation on the political agenda. As the maps provide a first impression, they do not warrant local decision-making. Consequently, the research institutes and CAS decline any responsibility for the consequences of assumptions based on texts or maps from the Climate Impact Atlas BES.

How accurate are the data?

The maps in the BES Climate Impact Atlas provide an island-level picture. At the local level, the image is mostly coarse and indicative. The spatial resolution differs per map layer. Click on the “More information” button in each map layer if you want to know more about a map. 


Developments and updates

Below you will find the answers to questions about developments and updates in the Climate Impact Atlas BES.

Hoe is de Klimaateffectatlas BES ontstaan?

In 2023, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management commissioned CAS to develop a Climate Impact Atlas for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Read more about us.

Who has developed the maps in the atlas?

The maps in the Climate Impact Atlas BES have been developed by several research institutes. To find out which party has developed the map, click on the “More information” button in each map layer. You will find this button on the right-hand side, in the “View map layers” box under the legend. In addition, you can read more about us.

Who has compiled the map explanations in the atlas?

The map explanations have been compiled by the research institutes that have developed the maps, in collaboration with the CAS foundation.

How often is the Climate Impact Atlas updated?

We aim to update the Climate Impact Atlas BES with new, additional maps whenever an opportunity arrives, and new data is available.


Climate scenarios used

Want to know more about the scenarios the maps are based on? Or do you want to know more about the Climate Scenarios tool? Then take a look at the questions and answers below.

On what data are the scenarios based?

For the climate scenarios on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, we used the KNMI'23 climate scenarios. The scenarios represent the range within which climate change is likely to develop.

What does the Climate Impact Atlas say about the scope of climate change?

We cannot be sure as to exactly what our future climate will look like. In October 2023, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) updated the climate scenarios for the Netherlands and the BES islands. The scenarios are based on two scales:

  • The uncertainty in emissions, ranging from Low (limited temperature rise, in line with the Paris Agreement) to Warm (high temperature increase – highest emissions scenario).
  • The climate model range, ranging from Dry (decrease in annual precipitation) to Wet (increase in annual precipitation).

Together, the scenarios represent the range within which climate change is likely to develop. The Climate Impact Atlas BES reflects the two most widely differing scenarios. The high scenario corresponds to the worst-case scenario, i.e., the highest of the four scenarios. The low scenario corresponds to the lowest of the four scenarios, in which the changes remain most limited. For each map layer, the Climate Impact Atlas only shows the available scenarios. Not all the scenarios are always available.

More information on the KNMI’23 scenarios is available on the KNMI-website.

What can you do with the Climate Scenarios tool?

The tool Climate Scenarios shows, for various themes, the range within which climate change is likely to develop. This range depends on both the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted and the sensitivity of the climate system. The bars show the average temperature in the current climate (1991-2020) and for the future climate around 2050 and 2100. The ‘low’ and ‘high’ scenarios reflect the two most widely differing scenarios. This tool is based on the KNMI 2023 scenarios.

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