- Coastal erosion, water resources and human settlement on Pacific small islands will be at increasing risk with changes in temperature, rainfall and sea level rise. Accelerated coastal erosion, saline intrusion into freshwater sources and increased flooding from the sea may cause large effects on human settlements. Less rainfall coupled with accelerated sea level rise compound the threat on water resources [Box 16.1]
- Beach erosion is prevalent due to sea level rise and human clearing of mangroves (1960s-1990s) [1.3.3.1].
- It has been shown that port facilities would experience overtopping, damage to wharves and flooding of the hinterland if there were a 0.5 m rise in sea level combined with waves associated with a 1/50 year cyclone [16.4.7]
- See also: Small Islands
WWF Work
What WWF is doing on the ground in Fiji to protect against climate change:
WWF is testing its approach to build resilience in tropical mangroves and associate coral reefs including the
Fiji Barrier Reef Ecoregion.
This project aims to build the capacity of nature resource managers to assess vulnerability and to adapt management strategies to respond to expected climate change impacts. Initial vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning point to the need for mangrove protection, reforestation with "climate-smart species," integrated land-use and marine planning, as well as activities to improve resource use technology.
Coordinating the testing of adaptation methods in geographically diverse locations within a common habitat type aims to increase the replicability so that the project results can be transferred to other conservation efforts around the globe.
