They remove and store vast amounts of carbon, and they protect water resources while providing storm protection.
They are designed for storm protection.
However, even degraded coral reefs can supply key ecosystem services such as fisheries and storm protection.
Ultimately, though, the largest obstacles in the way of better storm protection may be political, not technical.
The new Whitney, Mr. Weinberg said, will be a temple of American art and a model of storm protection.
The Netherlands, one of the world's lowest-lying countries, has made storm protection a function of national security.
(They operate independently of Sandy and request further storm protection money from Congress after everyone else leaves).
To cover its 65percentt mandated share, the federal government in 1996 authorized $46.8 million for the storm protection project.
Hurricane Katrina, which was made worse by human failures in storm protection, killed more than 1,800 in 2005.
Coral reefs, for instance, have proved to be much more important for storm protection than previously recognized.
Habitat change and loss, due to changes in sediment inputs, whether reductions (resulting in the loss of beaches, storm protection, nutrient inputs, etc).
