Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Sustainable Coastal Communities in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories

In the Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs), flooding and erosion damage caused by sea level rise and high waves related to climate change are a major concern. However, PICTs have not widely installed effective counter-measures such as firm coastal levees and revetments due to the large number of affected areas and constraints on construction and maintenance costs. In addition, coral reef bleaching due to high water temperature and ocean acidification related to climate change not only causes loss of coastal ecosystems but also becomes a serious threat to the sustainability of the affected areas. It reduces the dissipative effect on wave energy and sediment production while diminishing the coastal ecosystem’s crucial roles in the environment. Within this context, few studies have focused on the relationship between coral reef degradation and the safety of coastal areas, and for this reason, PICTs have not implemented many coral reef restoration projects. To address these issues, we propose here the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for coastal resilience and sustainability, consisting of various counter-measures against the impacts of climate change, such as coral reef restoration, coastal protection, and coastal zone management.