Climate Change And Development Consultation On Key Researchable Issues Sectoral Issues Section 2.4. Coastal Zones

Document begins: CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT CONSULTATION ON KEY RESEARCHABLE ISSUES SECTORAL ISSUES SECTION 2.4. COASTAL ZONES LAUREL MURRAY Saleemul Huq and Hannah Reid Climate Change Group International Institute for Environment and Development 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DD, UK Tel: (+44 20) 7388 2117 Fax: (+44 20) 7388 2826 Email: saleemul.huq@iied.org hannah.reid@iied.org Climate Change and Coastal Zones It is difficult to address coastal zones as a unified subject because of the sheer diversity of environments and range of human activity along coastal zones. About 40 percent of the world's population lives within 100km of the coast -- about 2.2 billion. Coastal zones also support a range of livelihoods and economic sectors including fisheries, agriculture, and commerce. As such, they play an important role in socio-economic development in many countries. Climate change will have a diverse set of impacts on coastal zones due to warming temperatures, changing precipitation, and sea-level rise. The diversity of coastal zones allows for great potential in adaptation to climate change trends and variability. Unfortunately, unsustainable human activity in coastal and marine systems means that many regions are extremely vulnerability to climate change and lack the adaptive capacity. Examples of coastal zone impacts includes, · Increased ...