As will be shown throughout this brief, climate change is
already affecting the ability of coastal and marine ecosystems to
provide food security, sustainable livelihoods, protection from nat-
ural hazards,cultural identity, and recreation to coastal populations,
especially for the most vulnerable communities in tropical areas.
There is now global recognition of the importance of forests and
terrestrial ecosystems in addressing climate change. An emerging
understanding of the complex and intimate relationship between
climate change and the oceans offers new hope and should be
examinedtofosternature-basedapproachestomitigatethenegative
impacts of global warming, and to build ecosystem and community
resilience to climate-related hazards that cannot be averted.
Ecosystem-basedoceanandcoastalmanagementgeneratesmultiple
co-bene
fi
ts,rangingfromfoodsecurityandhealth,tolivelihoodsand
new technologies that contribute to progress in equitable and envi-
ronmentally sustainable development toward a low-carbon future.