Promoting Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation

This policy brief argues for the integration of marine and coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) into national climate strategies, particularly for vulnerable island and coastal states. It highlights the protective value of ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, the current gap in their inclusion in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the need for innovative financing models to scale up these nature-based solutions.

• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) utilizes the conservation and restoration of marine and coastal habitats—such as mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs, and seagrass beds—to reduce climate vulnerability. These ecosystems provide critical services including protection against coastal erosion, saline intrusion, and storm surges, while supporting food supply and carbon storage.
• Marine and coastal ecosystems are facing severe degradation; globally, 50% of reef-building corals and more than one-fifth of mangroves have disappeared over the last 30 years. This decline is attributed to anthropogenic and climatic threats, as well as governance failures such as insufficient resources and inconsistent departmental mandates.
• There is a significant gap in the inclusion of EbA within official climate policies. A review of 162 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) found that only 23 explicitly mentioned EbA, and many national adaptation strategies make no explicit mention of vital marine ecosystems.
• Effective EbA requires a combination of approaches, including the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), coastal retreat, and hybrid solutions like artificial reefs. These must be integrated with broader governance tools such as marine spatial planning and integrated coastal zone management to address land-based threats, including the fact that 80% of global marine plastic pollution comes from land.
• EbA can provide socio-economic co-benefits, particularly in developing countries through poverty reduction and job creation. For instance, a pilot project in Dar es Salaam restored 5,000m2 of degraded coral reef within six months starting in July 2016.
• Public funding for marine adaptation is insufficient, necessitating private sector mobilization and innovative financial instruments. Examples include 'blue carbon' payments for environmental services and the Seychelles' 'debt-for-nature' scheme, which is the first debt agreement supported by Paris Club creditors to benefit climate adaptation.

APA

Chevallier, R. (2018). Promoting Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Policy-Insights-56.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy. Promoting Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2018. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Policy-Insights-56.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |title=Promoting Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Policy-Insights-56.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2018promoting, author = {Chevallier, Romy}, title = {{Promoting Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Policy-Insights-56.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }