The global value of coastal wetlands for storm protection

The global value of coastal wetlands for storm protection

The effects of tropical cyclones on damages/GDP and lives lost/population in the swath of a tropical cyclone, as moderated by coastal wetlands. Globally coastal wetlands prevent $447 Billion/yr. of damages and save 4,620 lives/yr. [Display omitted] •1st global estimate of the value of coastal wetlan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global environmental change Vol. 70; p. 102328
Main Authors: Costanza, Robert, Anderson, Sharolyn J., Sutton, Paul, Mulder, Kenneth, Mulder, Obadiah, Kubiszewski, Ida, Wang, Xuantong, Liu, Xin, Pérez-Maqueo, Octavio, Luisa Martinez, M., Jarvis, Diane, Dee, Greg
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2021
Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects:
Averages
Avoided damages
Avoided deaths
Bayesian analysis
Casualties
Climate change
Coastal wetlands
Coastal zone management
Conservation
Cyclones
Economic valuation
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Environmental protection
Environmental restoration
Hurricanes
Nature conservation
Property damage
Seawater
Statistical analysis
Storm damage
Storm protection
Storms
Tropical cyclones
Value
Wetlands
Wind speed
Avoided damages
Coastal wetlands
Economic valuation
Avoided deaths
Bayesian analysis
Storm protection
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Summary:The effects of tropical cyclones on damages/GDP and lives lost/population in the swath of a tropical cyclone, as moderated by coastal wetlands. Globally coastal wetlands prevent $447 Billion/yr. of damages and save 4,620 lives/yr. [Display omitted] •1st global estimate of the value of coastal wetlands for avoiding all storm damages.•Median global storm protection value of $447 Billion/yr. and 4,620 lives saved/yr.•Integrated global databases on storms, damages, deaths, wetlands, GDP, & population.•Used Bayesian and OLS statistical techniques to relate damages & deaths to wetlands.•Coastal wetlands provide storm protection and many other ecosystem services. Coastal wetlands provide a range of valuable ecosystem services, including protecting coastal communities from storms. We estimated for the first time the global value of these storm protection services for all coastal wetlands for both damages avoided and lives saved. We used the historical tracks of 1,014 tropical cyclones since 1902 that recorded property damage and/or human casualties in 71 countries/regions. We used Bayesian and OLS statistical techniques to relate storm damages and lives lost to: wind speed, storm forward speed, the year of the storm, the volume of ocean water proximal to landfall, and GDP, population, and coastal wetlands in the swath of the storm. Based on current storm probabilities, we estimate the median annual global value of coastal wetlands for storm protection at $447 billion/yr (2015$US) ($213 - $837 billion/yr, 90% CI) and 4,620 lives saved per year (3,320 – 6,550, 90% CI). The 40 million hectares of coastal wetlands in storm prone areas provided an average of $11,000/ha/yr in avoided storm damages. The frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones has been increasing in recent decades and is projected to further increase with climate change. Consequently, the already significant benefits from protecting and restoring coastal wetlands will become increasingly important and valuable in the future. These results justify much larger investments in conservation and restoration of coastal wetlands.
ISSN:0959-3780
1872-9495
DOI:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102328