What Erosion Is

• Erosion is the loss of land along the shoreline. It happens when sediment, in the form of sand and soil, is removed from the coast.
  
  

How Erosion Works

• Waves hit the shore and dislodge sediment. The sediment gets suspended in the water and is transported to the sea. It then moves along the coast and is re-deposited in another location.
  
  

Why Erosion Has Increased

• The sea level is rising, and waves are becoming stronger, removing greater amounts of sediment. Coral reefs are not producing enough sediment to refill the shore, and man-made structures have altered the natural sediment distribution.
  
  

Why Erosion Is Important

• Most of the people in island nations have settled along the coast. Erosion destroys their communities by damaging their homes and reducing their available land.
  
  

How Erosion Affects Tourism

• Many Pacific Islands depend on tourism to stimulate their economies. Coastal erosion destroys the beaches that tourists visit, eliminating this important source of income.