As we mark International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, it's crucial to recognise the escalating threats facing our coastal regions and the innovative solutions emerging to address them.
The rising tide of natural disasters
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, posing significant challenges to coastal communities worldwide. Human-induced climate change is affecting weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, causing losses and damages to nature and people. These extreme weather and climate events are increasing in frequency and severity (IPCC, AR6 2023).
Around 37% of the world’s population lives within 100km of the coast. These populations are particularly vulnerable to the weather and climate events associated with climate change.
Effective disaster risk reduction and resilience strategies are crucial for protecting these regions, their inhabitants, and their resources. As noted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their most recent report (AR6, 2023), “Adaptation options such as disaster risk management, early warning systems, climate services and social safety nets have broad applicability across multiple sectors”.
Ocean accounts: a new tool for disaster risk management
In response to these challenges, ocean accounts are emerging as a powerful tool for monitoring disasters and managing risk in coastal and marine environments. By integrating environmental, economic, and social data related to coastal and marine areas, ocean accounts provide a comprehensive framework for holistic policymaking and informed decision-making. This robust, data-driven approach offers a solid foundation for developing effective strategies for coastal disaster risk reduction and resilience.
Ocean accounts can complement and enhance existing risk assessment tools and initiatives, providing valuable data inputs for ecological and financial risk indicators. For instance, the Climate and Ocean Risk Vulnerability Index (CORVI) could benefit from ocean accounts' comprehensive economic and ecological data as a source for its risk assessments for coastal cities. Similarly, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA) could leverage ocean accounts to strengthen the business case for Nature-based Solutions, potentially attracting more investment into coastal resilience projects.
By integrating ocean accounts with existing tools and initiatives, we can create a more robust, data-driven approach to assessing and addressing coastal risks.
This collaborative approach can lead to more comprehensive and effective strategies for coastal resilience, ultimately improving our ability to protect vulnerable coastal communities and ecosystems.
The recent policy brief developed by experts at the GOAP Secretariat outlines several key ways that ocean accounting can contribute to disaster risk reduction and management in coastal areas. These include:
- Economic impact assessment: ocean accounts quantify the economic impacts of natural disasters on ocean-based sectors and coastal infrastructure. This information is crucial for prioritising investments in disaster risk reduction strategies and understanding the benefits of enhancing resilience.
- Ecosystem-based protection: ocean accounts can compile detailed data on the size, health and services provided by natural coastal barrier ecosystems such as mangroves and coral reefs. This data can be integrated with hydrodynamic models to assess how these ecosystems attenuate wave energy and mitigate impacts from storm surges.
- Vulnerability mapping: ocean accounts offer granular, georeferenced socio-economic data that can be overlaid with hazard maps. This allows for the identification of vulnerable populations in high-risk coastal areas, enabling targeted interventions to enhance community resilience. Key social data includes the number of people living in areas at risk, types of employment and livelihood diversification, and economic resilience of households in vulnerable areas.
- Land-use planning: ocean accounts provide comprehensive information that informs land-use planning and development decisions. This helps authorities to identify high-risk coastal areas and guide policy discussions regarding zoning regulations or ensuring that new construction is designed to withstand potential future hazards.
- Post-disaster recovery: after a natural disaster, data from ocean accounts can help quantify loss and damages to ocean-based sectors and coastal infrastructure. This information is vital for prioritising investments in disaster risk reduction strategies and understanding the economic benefits of enhancing resilience.
A data-driven course to resilience
As we face increasing environmental challenges, the integration of ocean accounts into disaster risk reduction strategies offers a data-driven path forward. By providing a holistic view of our coastal regions, ocean accounts empower decision-makers to develop more effective, sustainable, and equitable policies for building resilient coastal communities.
Through collaborative efforts and innovative tools like these, we can work towards a future where our coastal regions are better prepared to face the challenges ahead.
Authors: Elizabeth Hollaway, Bella Charlesworth
