scholarly journals Living Beside the Rising Tide: Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Auckland, New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Georgina Hart
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Coastal Hazard ◽  
Mission Bay ◽  
Coastal Adaptation ◽  
Hazard Risk ◽  
Auckland Region

<p>The Earth's climate system is entering a period of dynamic change after millennia of relatively stable climate. Coastal communities will need to adapt to dynamically shifting coastal environments as the climate system changes and sea levels rise. This study adds to a growing literature that investigates coastal vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience to climate change. It investigates regional scale social and institutional barriers to adaptation to sea level rise; examines the exposure, sensitivity and adaptation options at two coastal settlements in the Auckland region – Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay; and it analyses coastal adaptation response options from a resilience perspective. Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay, Auckland will experience increasing coastal hazard risk as the numbers of people and property potentially affected by storm events increases as sea level rises. Findings from the present study suggest that existing settlements in the Auckland region may already be 'locked in' to a coastal adaptation approach focused on maintaining the current coastline through coastal stabilisation, an approach that will decrease community resilience and increase vulnerability in the long term, even if this is found to be a successful response in the short term. Retreat offers an alternative approach that is strongly aligned with reducing community vulnerability and increasing resilience; however, strong opposition from communities to any retreat approach is expected. Developing trusted climate science information, education around coastal hazard risk, and participatory community led decision-making are identified as central enablers for a retreat approach to be included as a viable coastal adaptation option for communities in the Auckland region.</p>

scholarly journals Living Beside the Rising Tide: Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Auckland, New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Georgina Hart
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Coastal Hazard ◽  
Mission Bay ◽  
Coastal Adaptation ◽  
Hazard Risk ◽  
Auckland Region

<p>The Earth's climate system is entering a period of dynamic change after millennia of relatively stable climate. Coastal communities will need to adapt to dynamically shifting coastal environments as the climate system changes and sea levels rise. This study adds to a growing literature that investigates coastal vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience to climate change. It investigates regional scale social and institutional barriers to adaptation to sea level rise; examines the exposure, sensitivity and adaptation options at two coastal settlements in the Auckland region – Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay; and it analyses coastal adaptation response options from a resilience perspective. Mission Bay/Kohimarama and Kawakawa Bay, Auckland will experience increasing coastal hazard risk as the numbers of people and property potentially affected by storm events increases as sea level rises. Findings from the present study suggest that existing settlements in the Auckland region may already be 'locked in' to a coastal adaptation approach focused on maintaining the current coastline through coastal stabilisation, an approach that will decrease community resilience and increase vulnerability in the long term, even if this is found to be a successful response in the short term. Retreat offers an alternative approach that is strongly aligned with reducing community vulnerability and increasing resilience; however, strong opposition from communities to any retreat approach is expected. Developing trusted climate science information, education around coastal hazard risk, and participatory community led decision-making are identified as central enablers for a retreat approach to be included as a viable coastal adaptation option for communities in the Auckland region.</p>

COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES FOR SEA LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION IN HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Considine ◽  
Emily Steinhilber
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Hampton Roads ◽  
Global Rate ◽  
Municipal Boundaries ◽  
Sea Level Rise Adaptation

INTRODUCTION The Hampton Roads region is located in southeastern Virginia where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The region includes seventeen municipal governments and has a large federal government presence with 26 federal agencies represented (See Figure 1). The region has a population that exceeds 1.7 million and is home to the deepest water harbor on the U.S. East Coast. Hampton Roads' economy is dependent on the local waterways and houses the world's largest naval facility, the sixth largest containerized cargo complex and supports a thriving shipbuilding and repair industry as well as a tourism industry. However, the region's vast coastline also contributes to its vulnerability from climate change. Hampton Roads is experiencing sea level rise at twice the global rate with regional projections in the January 2017 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report, Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States, of 1.9 feet of sea level rise at the low end and 11.5 feet of sea level rise under the most extreme case between 2000 and 2100 (NOAA, 2017). Planning for adaptation to sea level rise requires regional partnerships and strategies, especially for watersheds that cross municipal boundaries. While many of the municipalities in the region are forward thinking in their approaches to sea level rise, there is not a regional plan for adaptation and current federal funding models do not support analysis of and planning for sea level rise impacts on a regional scale. For coastal communities to be successful in sea level rise adaptation, there has to be a national understanding that water knows no borders and only collaborative problem-solving approaches that cross municipal boundaries will move regions toward adaptation. Functional boundaries of ecosystems or watersheds need to be the focus of adaptation rather than political boundaries of local, state, and federal entities. Coordination and collaboration between entities is the only way to achieve optimal outcomes.

scholarly journals Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef ecosystems

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1739-1772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly K. Yates ◽  
David G. Zawada ◽  
Nathan A. Smiley ◽  
Ginger Tiling-Range
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Carbonate Production ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract. Coral reefs serve as natural barriers that protect adjacent shorelines from coastal hazards such as storms, waves, and erosion. Projections indicate global degradation of coral reefs due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change will cause a transition to net erosion by mid-century. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the combined effect of all of the processes affecting seafloor accretion and erosion by measuring changes in seafloor elevation and volume for five coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean over the last several decades. Regional-scale mean elevation and volume losses were observed at all five study sites and in 77 % of the 60 individual habitats that we examined across all study sites. Mean seafloor elevation losses for whole coral reef ecosystems in our study ranged from −0.09 to −0.8 m, corresponding to net volume losses ranging from 3.4  ×  106 to 80.5  ×  106 m3 for all study sites. Erosion of both coral-dominated substrate and non-coral substrate suggests that the current rate of carbonate production is no longer sufficient to support net accretion of coral reefs or adjacent habitats. We show that regional-scale loss of seafloor elevation and volume has accelerated the rate of relative sea level rise in these regions. Current water depths have increased to levels not predicted until near the year 2100, placing these ecosystems and nearby communities at elevated and accelerating risk to coastal hazards. Our results set a new baseline for projecting future impacts to coastal communities resulting from degradation of coral reef systems and associated losses of natural and socioeconomic resources.

Limits on nature-based solutions for coastal adaptation based on climate change indicators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanne Martyr-Koller ◽  
Tabea Lissner ◽  
Carl-Friedrich Schleussner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Erosion ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Coastal Protection ◽  
Coastal Adaptation ◽  
Loss And Damage ◽  
And Sea Level

&lt;p&gt;Climate impacts increase with higher warming and evidence is mounting that impacts increase strongly above 1.5&amp;#176;C. Therefore, adaptation needs also rise substantially at higher warming levels. Further&lt;strong&gt;, &lt;/strong&gt;limits to adaptation will be reached above 1.5&amp;#176;C and loss and damage will be inferred. Coastal Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have arisen as popular adaptation options, particularly for coastal developing economies and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), because of their lower overall costs compared to traditional grey infrastructure approaches such as seawalls and levees; their economic co-benefits through positive effects on sectors such as tourism and fisheries; and a broader desire to shift toward so-called blue economies. Two NbS of particular interest for coastal protection are: 1) coral reefs, which reduce coastal erosion and flooding through wave attenuation; and 2) mangroves, which provide protection from storms, tsunamis and coastal erosion. Although there is international enthusiasm to implement these solutions, there is limited understanding of the future viability of these ecosystems, particularly in their capacities as coastal adaptation service providers, in a warmer world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this presentation, we highlight how long and with how much coverage coral and mangrove ecosystems can provide coastal protection services for future climate scenarios, using air temperature and sea level rise as climate change indicators. A mathematical model for each ecosystem is developed, based on the physical parameters necessary for the sustainability of these ecosystems. We investigate the protective capabilities of each ecosystem under warming and sea level rise scenarios compatible with: below 1.5&amp;#176;C warming; below 2&amp;#176;C warming; warming based on current global commitments to carbon emissions reductions (3-3.5&amp;#176;C); and with no carbon mitigation (6&amp;#176;C). Results show what temperature and sea level rise values beyond which these ecosystems can no longer provide coastal protective services. These results have also been framed in a temporal window to show when these services may not be feasible, beyond which more costly adaptation measures and/or loss and damage may be incurred.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Applying principles of uncertainty within coastal hazard assessments to better support coastal adaptation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
SA Stephens ◽  
RG Bell ◽  
Judith Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Flood Hazard ◽  
Coastal Flooding ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Time Range ◽  
Coastal Hazard ◽  
Adaptive Planning ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Hazard Assessments

© 2017 by the authors. Coastal hazards result from erosion of the shore, or flooding of low-elevation land when storm surges combine with high tides and/or large waves. Future sea-level rise will greatly increase the frequency and depth of coastal flooding and will exacerbate erosion and raise groundwater levels, forcing vulnerable communities to adapt. Communities, local councils and infrastructure operators will need to decide when and how to adapt. The process of decision making using adaptive pathways approaches, is now being applied internationally to plan for adaptation over time by anticipating tipping points in the future when planning objectives are no longer being met. This process requires risk and uncertainty considerations to be transparent in the scenarios used in adaptive planning. We outline a framework for uncertainty identification and management within coastal hazard assessments. The framework provides a logical flow from the land use situation, to the related level of uncertainty as determined by the situation, to which hazard scenarios to model, to the complexity level of hazard modeling required, and to the possible decision type. Traditionally, coastal flood hazard maps show inundated areas only. We present enhanced maps of flooding depth and frequency which clearly show the degree of hazard exposure, where that exposure occurs, and how the exposure changes with sea-level rise, to better inform adaptive planning processes. The new uncertainty framework and mapping techniques can better inform identification of trigger points for adaptation pathways planning and their expected time range, compared to traditional coastal flooding hazard assessments.

scholarly journals Application of remote sensing and GIS for assessing the level of change of land use status in the coast of Ngoc Hien district (Ca Mau province) due to the impact of sea level rise

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3B) ◽  
pp. 227-237
Author(s):  
Pham Viet Hong ◽  
Tran Anh Tuan ◽  
Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
The Impact

Today, environmental hazards and challenges are no longer confined to the national or regional scale but on the global scale. One of the biggest challenges for humanity is the natural disasters, global warming and sea level rise. The natural disasters causing serious consequences for human life, such as: Storms, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, desertification, high tides... increase in frequency, intensity and scale. In recent years, Ca Mau province as well as coastal provinces of Vietnam is under great influence due to the impacts of climate change. One of the most affected districts in Ca Mau province is Ngoc Hien district. The district has a geographic location with three sides bordering the sea, one side bordering the river, a completely isolated terrain. The terrain is flat, strongly divided by the system of natural rivers and canals and intertwined canals, so it is constantly flooded by the sea. Ngoc Hien district is characterized by a sub-equatorial monsoon climate, directly affected by irregular semi-diurnal regime. The main purpose of the paper is to assess coastal vulnerability due to the impact of climate change over time with GIS-based remote sensing images. Remote sensing data with multi-time characteristics, collected in many periods and covering a wide area is an effective tool for monitoring shoreline fluctuations in particular and land use status of the study area in general.

Exploring the effects of adaptation policies on sea-level rise-induced migration at continental scale

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Reimann ◽  
Bryan Jones ◽  
Claudia Wolff ◽  
Athanasios Vafeidis
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Population Projections ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Coastal Adaptation ◽  
Adaptation Policies ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Policy Scenarios

&lt;p&gt;Accelerating sea-level rise (SLR) in the course of the 21&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; century will lead to population displacement and migration, the intensity and patterns of which will largely depend on the type and efficiency of adaptation strategies pursued. Thus far, the potential feedbacks between adaptation and SLR-induced migration have not been considered in continental-scale assessments. This study explores the effect of three coastal adaptation policy scenarios &amp;#8211; 1) &amp;#8216;build with nature&amp;#8217;, 2) &amp;#8216;hold the line&amp;#8217;, 3) &amp;#8216;save yourself&amp;#8217; &amp;#8211; on migration due to SLR, using a gravity-based population downscaling model calibrated to the Mediterranean region. The policy scenarios are consistent with the socioeconomic developments described under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). Combining these with a range of SLR scenarios, we produce spatial population projections from 2020 to 2100 that allow for estimating SLR-induced migration with and without adaptation. Preliminary results show that, without adaptation, SLR may lead to migration of 10 million (SSP1-RCP2.6) to 16 million (SSP3-RCP4.5) people currently living in low-lying coastal areas of the Mediterranean until 2100. With adaptation, the number of migrants until 2100 could be reduced by 2.1 million under the &amp;#8216;build with nature&amp;#8217; scenario (SSP1-RCP2.6) and by up to 6 million under the &amp;#8216;hold the line&amp;#8217; scenario (SSP5-RCP8.5). These results suggest that adaptation can be effective in reducing the number of migrants due to SLR, in particular when engineered solutions such as dikes are pursued. However, while the number of SLR-related migrants can be reduced by 50% under the &amp;#8216;hold the line&amp;#8217; scenario, impacts would be high in case of protection failure during extreme sea level conditions. Allowing for exploring the effects of different adaptation policies on SLR-induced migration, we anticipate that our findings can provide a suitable basis for decision-making, for example in adaptation planning or regional development planning.&lt;/p&gt;

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