The echoes are a glaring reminder of the region’s vulnerability. Threats of hurricanes, ocean acidification, and wildfires are representative of the long-term shifts in regional or global climate patterns. Coastal areas have come under threat. Sea level rise and warmer oceans are changing our biosphere. Plankton – the source of at least half the oxygen we breathe – is dying, with coral reefs that protect coastlines following suit. Events such as these cannot be ignored as they hinder socio-economic development and play a significant role in human displacement patterns. Consequently, economic progress is hampered, and future generations are deprived of their home and ecological heritage.
Without access to land and marine resources, the path to prosperity will become murky. Certain areas will become inaccessible to those economies that rely on it the most. Climate risk management (CRM) is therefore an important part of the conversation. It is imperative for preventing, mitigating, and adapting to extreme weather-related events.