Climate Change Impacts on Small Island States: Ecosystem Services Risks and Opportunities

Abstract

This chapter highlights how ecosystem-based adaptation—informed conservation and management practices that help people adapt to climate change—can enhance the resilience of island communities and reduce ecosystem service risks. On islands, terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems are highly interconnected and provide important ecosystem services to local communities. However, ecosystems are also severely impacted by climate change, natural climate patterns, and human action. Using a ridge-to-reef approach allows accounting for ecosystem connectivity in adaptation planning and policies. Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are described as a policy option for securing the ecosystem services of island watersheds. Strategies of ecosystem-based adaptation are not only an option for Small Island States, but also for many situations in developed or developing countries.