Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “State of global coastal adaptation efforts” which was published in Down to earth. Recently, the journal Nature Climate Change published a new study on the status of global coastal adaptation.

Global Coastal Adaptation Efforts: A Diverse Socioeconomic Perspective

• Findings regarding coastal adaptation efforts: No systematic correlation can be established between the level of adaptation effort and the level of socioeconomic development.
• Low-to-Moderate levels of adaptation efforts: These included Africa and Small Islands due to lower adaptive capacities.
• Moderate levels of adaptation efforts: This category included Australia and New Zealand. 
• High-to-Very-High adaptation efforts: Only around 13% of the case studies were placed in this category exclusively in Europe and North America.

Comprehensive Coastal Adaptation Strategies for a Changing World

• Coastal adaptation refers to the strategies put in place to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change, sea-level rise, and other environmental changes on coastal areas. 

• Coastal adaptation strategy involves:
  • Protection from Sea-Level Rise
  • Mitigation of Erosion
  • Resilience to Extreme Weather Events
  • Sustainable Land Use 
  • Restoration of Natural Ecosystems
  • Community Engagement
  • Infrastructure Resilience
  • Early Warning Systems

Assessing Global Coastal Adaptation

• The study assessed the state of global coastal adaptation by analyzing 61 coastal case studies, distributed across the world classified into four categories: 
  • A1: Urban areas with relatively high population and asset densities.
  • A2: Urban areas with relatively lower population and asset densities or middle-size cities. 
  • A3: Rural areas with high-value economic activities such as agriculture or tourism. 
  • A4: Rural areas with non-market high-value features like cultural or natural.
• Mumbai, Ghoramara (Sunderbans), Puri (Odisha) and Konkan regions fall under the ‘moderate-to-high’ category. 
  • Being a densely populated urban region, Mumbai is in the A1 category. Puri is in A2, Konkan region is a rural area with high-value economic activities (A3) and Ghoramara is a rural area with non-market high-value features (A4).

Need for Coastal Adaptation to Climate and Heritage

• Rising Sea-Level: It is primarily caused by the melting of polar ice caps which can lead to coastal erosion, increased flooding, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources. 
  • According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), by the end of the century the world may see a rise up to 1.1 meters, relative to 1986–2005.Climate Change: It is contributing to more frequent and severe weather events such as hurricanes, storm surges, and heavy rainfall which can lead to flooding, erosion, and damage to infrastructure.  
  • Global Climate Risk Index 2021: It ranked India 7th in the list of most affected countries in terms of exposure and vulnerability to climate risk events. 
• Population Growth: Many coastal areas are densely populated, and population growth in these regions continues to increase, making adaptation measures essential for protecting lives and property. 
  • For instance, almost two-thirds of the world’s cities with populations of over five million are already located in areas at risk of sea level rise, among them, megacities such as Chennai, Kolkata, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila.
• Protecting Biodiversity and Ecosystems: Coastal adaptation is essential to protect coastal ecosystems, such as wetlands, mangroves, and coral reefs which provide various services, including habitat for marine life and storm surge protection.
• Protecting Coastal Heritage: Many coastal areas are rich in cultural heritage, with historical sites and communities.
  • For example, Kolkali and Parichakali are the two popular folk art forms in Lakshadweep that are an integral part of the cultural milieu.

Assessing Challenges and Urgent Adaptation Needs

• Sea Level Rise: This rise is not uniform worldwide, and some regions are more vulnerable than others. The study identified certain Asian megacities, western tropical Pacific islands, and the western Indian Ocean as particularly at risk from sea-level rise. Other Vulnerable Regions: They include low-lying coastal areas, such as the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and small island states in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• Internal Climate Variability: It can increase sea-level in some locations by 20%-30% more than what would result from climate change alone, exponentially increasing extreme flooding events. 
  • For example, the study predicts that coastal flooding events in Manila will occur 18 times more often by 2100 than in 2006 based solely on climate change. 
• High Adaptation Gap: Coastal adaptation efforts are short-sighted and focus on single hazards, inadequately addressing the root causes of climate exposure and vulnerability and were poorly monitored. For instance, globally, almost half of the 61 case studies show an adaptation gap higher than 50% and more than 20% faced a wide gap.
• • In India, there were no adaptation plans for the Konkan region. Although Mumbai has a climate action plan, its adaptation strategies did not accurately assess risks or specifically consider its vulnerable inhabitants’ adaptation needs.
• Economic Challenge: Coastal regions are often significant economic hubs, hosting industries like tourism, shipping, fishing, and commerce. 
  • Low-lying coastal settlements account for 14% of the global gross domestic product and face a severe risk of coastal flooding. 
• Assessment Challenges: Uncertainties are associated with predicting sea-level rise due to the complex and unpredictable interactions in the Earth’s climate system. 
  • It is critical for society to be aware of the potential of extreme sea-level rise to develop effective adaptation strategies.

A Holistic Path: Integrating Adaptive Strategies for Coastal Resilience

• Ensuring Comprehensive Study: Include other socio-geographical systems (such as cities, mountains, Arctic regions, and rural areas), biodiversity systems (transboundary ecosystems) and other sectors (health, infrastructure, water and food security, and peace) in future studies.
• Expanding Adaptation Framework: Involving four steps viz. information collection and awareness raising, planning and design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. 
  • Establish a framework for adaptation that is integrated within current coastal management processes and practices and takes a broader view on the subject.
• Introducing Needs-based Assessment: An emerging strategy that relies on requirements for deepening climate action, in particular with inequality in consideration which could provide a way to show the inequity problems at all levels.
• Providing Nature-Based Solutions: These solutions enhance natural defenses against coastal hazards and benefit biodiversity and water quality. 
  • For example, mangrove restoration, beach nourishment, and wetland preservation.
• Improving Infrastructure Resilience: This includes retrofitting existing infrastructure, designing building flood-resistant structures, elevating critical facilities, and enhancing stormwater management systems to reduce flood risks.