Coastal areas host a significant part of the world population and of humankind’s adaptation needs in the face of effects of climate change, especially sea-level rise and ocean warming and acidification. Atoll islands illustrate frontline situations due to their biophysical (low elevation, small land area, 360°-exposure to waves, limited natural resources and fragile ecosystems) and human (high population densities in urban environments, low level of development, limited technical and financial capacities) characteristics. In these contexts, it is urgent to understand the space for societal adaptation and based on this, identify robust and context-specific adaptation strategies. This essay builds on the hypothesis that, given the nature of atoll islands, understanding the way and extent to which local human-driven disturbances affect the reef-island system’s capacity to provide coastal protection services, is a relevant entry point. Using the case of the Maldives, we propose to combine five types of adaptation into a generic adaptation pathway, and apply it to atoll island types going from no to highly disturbed environments. This work highlights two major conclusions: first, that diverse island profiles require different adaptation pathways; second, that in contexts under high human pressure, the window of opportunities for diversified adaptation strategies is closing fast.

面对气候变化的影响，特别是海平面上升以及海洋变暖和酸化的影响，沿海地区拥有世界人口和人类适应需求的很大一部分。环礁岛说明了其生物物理（低海拔，小土地面积，360度暴露于海浪，有限的自然资源和脆弱的生态系统）和人类（城市环境中的人口密度高，发展水平低，技术和资金有限）的一线情况容量）特性。在这些情况下，迫切需要了解社会适应的空间，并在此基础上确定有力且针对具体情况的适应策略。本文基于以下假设：鉴于环礁岛的性质，了解切入点是了解当地人为干扰影响礁岛系统提供沿海保护服务能力的方式和程度。我们以马尔代夫为例，建议将五种适应类型组合成一条通用的适应路径，并将其应用于从无到严重受干扰的环礁岛类型。这项工作强调了两个主要结论：第一，不同的岛屿概况需要不同的适应途径；第二，在人为压力很大的情况下，多样化适应战略的机会之窗正在迅速关闭。并将其应用于从无到严重受干扰的环礁岛类型。这项工作突出了两个主要结论：首先，不同的岛屿概况需要不同的适应途径；其次，第二，在人类高压下，多样化适应战略的机会之窗正在迅速关闭。并将其应用于从无到严重受干扰的环礁岛类型。这项工作强调了两个主要结论：第一，不同的岛屿概况需要不同的适应途径；第二，在人类高压下，多样化适应战略的机会之窗正在迅速关闭。