Building Disaster Resilience in Thousand Islands (Indonesia): Unlocking Climate Adaptation Strategies to Navigate Sea Level Rise in Coastal Regions while Safeguarding Crop Productivity and Local Biodiversity

Abstract

Climate change causes sea levels to rise, threatening the lives of people living on coastal islands. However, none has studied how communities can adapt to the changing environment and build climate resilience. To address this issue, the work unlocks adaptation strategies for climate-induced sea level rise in coastal islands. The Thousand Islands (Indonesia) was used as a case study due to their low-lying areas and reliance on agriculture. This work identifies best practices and local challenges due to climate change that could be applicable to other coastal regions. Data collection was undertaken through semistructured interviews with stakeholders. It is evident that adaptation strategies in coastal regions need to be participatory due to the importance of local knowledge and community empowerment. Community’s adaptation initiatives include mangrove restoration and giant seawall construction. There was a 15% increase in species richness and a 10% increase in ecosystem resilience in areas where adaptive measures were applied. The barriers of climate adaptation cover the lack of resources and institutional constraints. It is crucial for the government to collaborate with stakeholders to implement climate adaptation strategies based on local needs. Overall, this work highlights the need for regional collaboration to tackle climate impacts on the rising sea level in coastal areas.