Climate Change in the Pacific: Coasts

Low-lying coastal areas are often the most populated parts of islands, with villages, towns, agriculture, infrastructure and tourist development competing for space. Unfortunately, coasts are also particularly vulnerable to climate hazards and weather events.  Particular vulnerabilities include loss of land and islands from sea level rise and loss of homes and lives from extreme weather events such as cyclones.

The resulting impacts – coastal erosion, infrastructure damage, flooding and salt water intrusion – present a critical challenge to many Pacific island coastlines.

Supported by UNDP and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) programme is the first major climate change adaptation initiative in the Pacific region. Since it began in 2009 the programme has laid the groundwork for more resilient Pacific communities that can cope with climate variability today, and climate change tomorrow.

This short video, narrated by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, highlights the PACC projects that are working to reduce the vulnerability of island coasts.