Coastal Habitats Shield People and Property from Sea-level Rise and Storms

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Authors :
K. K. Arkema et al.

This case study calculates a hazard index for every square kilometer of the United States coastline using five sea-level-rise scenarios. This index is then used to identify the most vulnerable people and property as indicated by being in the upper quartile of hazard for the nation’s coastline. The study delivers the first national map of risk reduction owing to natural habitats and thus indicates where conservation and restoration of reefs and vegetation have the greatest potential to protect coastal communities.

The likelihood and magnitude of losses may be reduced by intact reefs and coastal vegetation, especially when those habitats fringe vulnerable communities and infrastructure. More precisely, the results show that the number of people, poor families, elderly, and total value of residential property that are most exposed to hazards can be reduced by half if existing coastal habitats remain fully intact. Furthermore, they indicate that coastal habitats defend the greatest number of people and total property value in Florida, New York, and California.

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Country :
United States of America
Themes :
Key search term :
coastal exposure
coastal management
coastal zones
risk
flood risk management
natural capital

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