Earth Today | Working with nature before the next disaster

DURING THE hurricane season in the Caribbean, we track storms, brace for floods, and rebuild, again and again. But what if some of that damage could be prevented instead of just repaired? What if the best line of defense was already growing along our shores?

Ecosystem-based adaptation, or EbA, starts with the simple idea that healthy ecosystems protect us. Coral reefs break wave energy before it reaches the coast. Mangroves trap sediments and reduce storm surge. Seagrass beds stabilise the seabed and slow wave currents. When these systems are intact, they act like living infrastructure that is flexible, self-repairing, and often more effective than concrete alone.

And when they are not, the losses mount quickly. Across the region, degraded reefs and cleared mangroves have resulted in stronger wave impacts, faster erosion, and more flooding during storms. What could have been absorbed by nature instead becomes loss and damage in lost livelihoods, damaged roads, disrupted travel, and rising insurance bills. EbA acts before that moment.

In Grenada, a project led by the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation offers a good example of what that looks like in practice. The project combined “grey” elements like rock structures with “green” solutions, including mangroves, coastal vegetation, and coral restoration instead of only seawalls.

The result was a shoreline that could absorb wave energy and stabilise sediments while supporting marine life and local livelihoods. The test came when Hurricane Beryl hit in 2024 with powerful storm surges and nearby coastlines suffered heavy erosion and flooding. But, in the restored area, the hybrid system held. The vegetation buffered the impact, erosion was minimised, and the community was better protected.

Similar lessons are emerging across the Caribbean. Mangrove restoration in low-lying coastal zones is reducing flood risk while rebuilding fisheries, while coral gardening is helping reefs regain their role as natural breakwaters. Even quarry rehabilitation can make a difference by restoring vegetation and drainage in degraded uplands, reducing sediment runoff that would otherwise smother reefs and seagrass beds offshore.

What makes EbA especially impactful for the Caribbean is that it delivers benefits long before disaster strikes. Healthy reefs sustain tourism and fisheries while weakening wave energy; restored mangroves filter water, store carbon, and provide fish nursery habitat year-round. By combining nature with well-planned infrastructure and community action, the Caribbean region can reduce its exposure and prevent damage before the next storm arrives.

Contributed by Ulrike Krauss, climate change programme manager, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund