Editing IPCC:AR6/SR15/TS (section)

==== Small Islands, and Coastal and Low-lying areas ====

'''Small islands are projected to experience multiple inter-related risks at 1.5°C of global warming that will increase with warming of 2°C and higher levels (''high confidence'').''' Climate hazards at 1.5°C are projected to be lower compared to those at 2°C (''high confidence''). Long-term risks of coastal flooding and impacts on populations, infrastructures and assets (''high confidence''), freshwater stress (''medium confidence''), and risks across marine ecosystems (''high confidence'') and critical sectors (''medium confidence'') are projected to increase at 1.5°C compared to present-day levels and increase further at 2°C, limiting adaptation opportunities and increasing loss and damage (''medium confidence''). Migration in small islands (internally and internationally) occurs for multiple reasons and purposes, mostly for better livelihood opportunities (''high confidence'') and increasingly owing to sea level rise (''medium confidence''). {3.3.2.2, 3.3.6–9, 3.4.3.2, 3.4.4.2, 3.4.4.5, 3.4.4.12, 3.4.5.3, 3.4.7.1, 3.4.9.1, 3.5.4.9,
Box 3.4, Box 3.5}

'''Impacts associated with sea level rise and changes to the salinity of coastal groundwater, increased flooding and damage to infrastructure, are projected to be critically important in vulnerable environments, such as small islands, low-lying coasts and deltas, at global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C (''high confidence'').''' Localized subsidence and changes to river discharge can potentially exacerbate these effects. Adaptation is already happening (''high confidence'') and will remain important over multi-centennial time scales. {3.4.5.3, 3.4.5.4, 3.4.5.7, 5.4.5.4, Box 3.5}

'''Existing and restored natural coastal ecosystems may be effective in reducing the adverse impacts of rising sea levels and intensifying storms by protecting coastal and deltaic regions (''medium confidence'').''' Natural sedimentation rates are expected to be able to offset the effect of rising sea levels, given the slower rates of sea level rise associated with 1.5°C of warming (''medium confidence''). Other feedbacks, such as landward migration of wetlands and the adaptation of infrastructure, remain important (''medium confidence''). {3.4.4.12, 3.4.5.4, 3.4.5.7}