Coastal communities in the Global South are increasingly suffering the effects of climate change. Storms, floods, and rising sea levels threaten millions of people. In response to these risks, two approaches are opposed: artificial infrastructure such as dikes and nature-based solutions, particularly the restoration of mangroves.<\/p>\n
A study conducted in the Philippines compares these two methods. It reveals that dikes provide protection perceived as stronger and more durable. Residents feel safe behind these concrete structures, designed to withstand waves and storms. However, their construction often leads to population displacement and costs several hundred times more than mangrove restoration.<\/p>\n
Mangroves, on the other hand, offer major ecological benefits. They support biodiversity, purify water, and serve as habitats for fish. They also reduce wave energy, thus protecting coasts naturally. Local communities are more involved in their maintenance, which strengthens their sense of belonging and collective management.<\/p>\n
Both types of protection improve the safety and well-being of residents. Yet, dikes are often preferred because they symbolize immediate and visible security. However, their maintenance is costly, and their effectiveness can decrease over time.<\/p>\n
Mangroves, which are cheaper and more environmentally friendly, represent a fair and sustainable alternative. They also promote local tourism and environmental education. Despite these advantages, their adoption remains limited due to a lack of knowledge and institutional barriers.<\/p>\n
This comparison shows that natural solutions can provide equally effective protection while preserving ecosystems and involving local populations. Their development could make coasts more resilient, at a lower cost and with a positive social impact.<\/p>\n
DOI:<\/strong> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10584-026-04151-2<\/a><\/p>\n Title:<\/strong> Do nature-based solutions deliver climate adaptation equally? Comparing mangroves and seawalls in the Global South<\/p>\n Journal:<\/strong> Climatic Change<\/p>\n Publisher:<\/strong> Springer Science and Business Media LLC<\/p>\n Authors:<\/strong> Aaron Opdyke; Molly Tuit; Justin See; Ginbert Permejo Cuaton; Pearly Joy Peja<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do Natural Solutions Protect Coasts Better Than Dikes Against Climate Change? Coastal communities in the Global South are increasingly suffering the effects of climate change. Storms, floods, and rising sea levels threaten millions of people. In response to these risks, two approaches are opposed: artificial infrastructure such as dikes and nature-based solutions, particularly the restoration… Continue reading Do Natural Solutions Protect Coasts Better Than Dikes Against Climate Change?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,9,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment","category-health","category-society","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions\/34"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}