by Eric Roston, Bloomberg Green
Highlights:
According to a new study, wetland preservation will be increasingly important to protect Atlantic and Gulf Coast communities against hurricanes and cyclones.
- The study evaluates how much wetlands are worth based on the cost of the damage caused by storms
- One square kilometer of wetlands is worth almost $2 million a year in storm protection
- Florida could have avoided $430 million in damages during Hurricane Irma if 2.8% of their wetlands were not lost
- Climate change is partially responsible for habitat loss in the Northeast of the US
Wetland preservation is also directly tied to carbon sequestration. When wetlands are lost, so are carbon sinks. The Climate Center advocates for funding for resilience measures in every community by 2025.
Nina Turner
Energy Programs and Communications CoordinatorJanina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University with experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism.
