26
R.H.C. Charlier and Chr. P. De Meyer
Chapter II : Environmental Implications of
Adaptive Measures
1
Introduction
Most coastal areas contain habitats that are important to fish, shellfish, sea
turtles, sea birds and marine mammals. These areas also have high recreational,
cultural and aesthetic values for many people. Working Group II of I.P.C.C.
concluded that a large net wetland loss would result as sea level rises, because the
area onto which new wetlands might expand is less than the area of wetlands at
risk 1"
2
Retreat
Enabling wetlands to migrate inland is one possible motivation for a retreat
strategy. Coastal wetlands can be found along most of the world's coastal
margins, notably in the tropical and subtropical regions. From a global
perspective, there is presently a large scale de facto retreat in process, given that
most of the world's coastal wetlands border on land areas with low population
densities and little major development 7. Nevertheless, these areas may be
developed in the future. Governments should focus attention on their wetland
areas and where appropriate, establish zones to which wetlands will be allowed to
retreat using the measures outlined in the previous section. However, even a
retreat cannot prevent a large net loss of coastal wetlands.
Developed nations with large land masses, such as the United States and
Australia, have implemented retreat strategies along sections of their coasts in the
interest of allowing coastal ecosystems, particularly tidal wetlands, to adjust to
increased levels of the sea through a slow landward migration. By contrast, on
small islands the lack of land for inland migration would restrict the applicability
of this option. In the case of atolls, many ecosystems could be completely lost.
R.H.C. Charlier and Chr. P. De Meyer
Chapter II : Environmental Implications of
Adaptive Measures
1
Introduction
Most coastal areas contain habitats that are important to fish, shellfish, sea
turtles, sea birds and marine mammals. These areas also have high recreational,
cultural and aesthetic values for many people. Working Group II of I.P.C.C.
concluded that a large net wetland loss would result as sea level rises, because the
area onto which new wetlands might expand is less than the area of wetlands at
risk 1"
2
Retreat
Enabling wetlands to migrate inland is one possible motivation for a retreat
strategy. Coastal wetlands can be found along most of the world's coastal
margins, notably in the tropical and subtropical regions. From a global
perspective, there is presently a large scale de facto retreat in process, given that
most of the world's coastal wetlands border on land areas with low population
densities and little major development 7. Nevertheless, these areas may be
developed in the future. Governments should focus attention on their wetland
areas and where appropriate, establish zones to which wetlands will be allowed to
retreat using the measures outlined in the previous section. However, even a
retreat cannot prevent a large net loss of coastal wetlands.
Developed nations with large land masses, such as the United States and
Australia, have implemented retreat strategies along sections of their coasts in the
interest of allowing coastal ecosystems, particularly tidal wetlands, to adjust to
increased levels of the sea through a slow landward migration. By contrast, on
small islands the lack of land for inland migration would restrict the applicability
of this option. In the case of atolls, many ecosystems could be completely lost.