Coasts at Risk: An Assessment of Coastal Risks and the Role of Environmental Solutions
Coastal development and climate change are reshaping shorelines and raising risks for people infrastructure and economies. The Coasts at Risk (C@R) report assesses exposure and vulnerability, shows how environmental loss heightens risk, and pinpoints where reefs, mangroves and fisheries enable cost‑effective risk reduction and community resilience.
Subject Tags
- Reefs
- Coastal
- Wetlands
Executive Summary
Coastal development and climate change are transforming shorelines, amplifying erosion, inundation and extreme weather that threaten millions of people, infrastructure, economies. Environmental degradation compounds risk by increasing exposure and reducing access to resources like fisheries. Coral reefs, wetlands and mangroves are key defenses, yet decline fastest around dense population centers—where benefits are greatest. The Coasts at Risk (C@R) report uses an indicator‑based approach to map hazard interactions with social vulnerability, adding fisheries indicators, and finding tropical nations and SIDS face high risk. It shows that conserving and restoring habitats can reduce exposure, support livelihoods, and strengthen resilience. Recommendations include cost‑effective prevention, restoration near people, integrating environmental risk in assessments, building investment cases for natural infrastructure, and advancing fisheries research and management to cut vulnerability.
Edited by Michael W. Beck. A joint publication of United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Coastal Resources Center (CRC) at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. (2014)