Options for Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Coastal Environments

This guide is about taking account of, and managing, ecosystems to help people adapt to climate change in coastal areas: coastal Ecosystem based Adaptation (EBA). Vital to human wellbeing, adaptation to climate change is increasingly important in international policy discussions such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which have acknowledged the potential importance of EBA in meeting this challenge. In coastal environments climate change impacts can be especially acute, and people’s dependence on services from ecosystems is often intricately tied to the security of their livelihoods. Coastal EBA is therefore of paramount importance and this guide is a strategic resource for those involved in its planning and implementation.