Economics of Coastal Adaptation
Coastal risks from storms, sea‑level rise, and habitat loss are increasing costs for communities. The ECA app, created by The Nature Conservancy and Swiss Re, compares the cost effectiveness of nature‑based and engineered solutions to reduce coastal flooding. It assesses current and future risks and identifies strategies that best avert damages across the Gulf.
Subject Tags
- Coastal
Summary
Coastal communities face increasing risks from storms, sea‑level rise, and flooding, intensified by climate change, coastal development, and the loss of protective habitats such as marshes, mangroves, oyster reefs, coral reefs, and seagrasses. These losses expose people and property to greater damage, as seen in the Gulf where wetland decline has added an estimated $1.5 million in annual flood losses. To help decision‑makers compare cost‑effective risk‑reduction strategies, The Nature Conservancy and Swiss Re developed the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) app. Part of the Coastal Resilience decision‑support system, the ECA app evaluates current and future coastal hazards and analyzes the cost effectiveness of nature‑based and engineered solutions—from habitat restoration to home elevation—to identify the most effective options for reducing flood risk and avoiding damages.