Mapping the soft and ethical dimensions of sea level rise in southern Sweden

Author(s):  
Lisa Van Well ◽  
Anette Björlin ◽  
Per Danielsson ◽  
Godefroid Godefroid Ndayikengurukiye ◽  
Gunnel Göransson

<p>Sea level rise poses profound challenges within current municipal and regional governance since it requires unusually long planning horizons, is surrounded by great uncertainties, and gives rise to novel ethical challenges. Adaptation to climate change is fundamentally an ethical issue because the aim of any proposed adaptation measure is to protect that which is valued in society. One of the most salient ethical issues discussed in the adaptation literature relates to the distribution of climate related risks, vulnerabilities and benefits across populations and over time. Raising sea-walls is typically associated with high costs and potentially negative ecological impacts as well as substantial equity concerns; managed retreat or realignment often causes problems related to property rights; and migration out of low-lying areas can involve the loss of sense and cultural identity and impact on receiving communities.</p><p>How can the soft and ethical dimensions of rising mean sea levels be characterized and how can their consequences be mapped? To help municipalities to understand the values and ethics attached to measures to deal with long-term rising sea levels in southern Sweden, we are developing a methodology of soft or ethical values to complement to GIS-mapping of coastal vulnerability based on coastal characteristics and socio-economic factors.</p><p>Rather than determining these values a priori, they are being discerned through workshops with relevant stakeholders and in interviews with citizens residing in and utilizing the coastal areas. The methodology attempts to determine the place-based of values within coastal communities with a focus on “whose” values, “what” values, and the long-term or short-term nature of values. It builds on an analytical framework developed to acquire information on the behavior, knowledge, perception and feelings of people living, working and enjoying the coastal areas.  In turn this stakeholder-based information is used to co-create “story maps” as tools to communicate complicated vulnerability analyses, highlight the ethical dimensions of various adaptation measures, raise awareness and aid decisionmakers in taking uncomfortable decisions to “wicked” planning problems around the negative effects of sea level rise, coastal erosion and urban flooding.</p><p>This paper presents the methodological development of the task as well as the results the study in four Swedish municipalities. The representation of the “soft” and ethical values provides an opportunity to help clarify these values to policymakers and increase resilience to rising sea levels.</p>

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 313-322
Author(s):  
Dong Jun Kim ◽  
Kyung Min Choi ◽  
Yang Ho Song ◽  
Jung Ho Lee

Climate change caused by global warming is raising the average sea level. The rise in sea level leads to an increase in river water levels within the affected range, which increases the possibility of flooding in water due to erosion of outfall to the coast and rivers. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize in advance the risk of occurrence of domestic flooding, which is aggravated by the effect of rising sea levels, and to construct new boundary conditions for predicting urban flooding accordingly. In this study, Flood Nomograph for two research areas was selected in consideration of the regional characteristics of coastal areas and the scenario of sea level rise. As a result of the analysis, as the sea level rose, the amount of flood critical rainfall decreased numerically. It is believed that this study can be used as a necessary basis for improving flood forecast and warning data considering sea level rise in coastal cities in the future.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Danielsson ◽  
Dominika Nordh ◽  
Anette Björlin

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>The County Administrative Boards in Skåne and Halland, together with the Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI), and Swedish Geological Survey (SGU), have taken the initiative to start a Regional Coastal Cooperation. Both counties’ municipalities and individuals are currently facing problems managing rising sea levels, erosion and flooding.</p><p>Regional cooperation is important for Skåne and Halland as they are the two counties in southern Sweden that are most likely to be exposed to the combined effects of rising sea levels, flooding and erosion. Strategic and coordinated efforts at local level are needed to deal with these challenges in coastal areas, where guidance and support are also provided from regional and national levels. Today's governance system where the responsibility for dealing with these challenges falls on municipalities and individual home owners, presents difficulties in solving complex issues. Various actors feel that they are affected in a way that is not fair. Implementing appropriate measures requires extensive coordination, collaboration, a clear division of responsibilities and financial resources. Regional Coastal Cooperation aims, among other things, to inform national decision-makers in close dialogue with the coastal municipalities in Skåne and Halland that there is a need to strengthen the state's responsibility for these issues.</p><p>Regional Coastal Cooperation also to highlights the need to develop knowledge and planning in order to deal with the difficult issues associated with rising sea level which may affect the development, infrastructure and other values ​​on the coast. Today, there is no comprehensive information on how coastal processes affect different coastal sections in Skåne and Halland. Knowledge about different types of measures and how well they work also needs to be increased. Increased knowledge and consensus are necessary to achieve measures that involve sustainable development in accordance with Agenda 2030 and the global goals.</p><p>The overall goal of Regional Coastal Cooperation is to find concrete solutions to address the challenges posed by rising sea levels, erosion and flooding in coastal areas in Skåne and Halland in ways that are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.</p><p>In this presentation, we discuss the challenges and potentials of how five identified project groups within Regional Coastal Cooperation project work to implement solutions in coastal areas. Thus, we present how coastal municipalities and the property owners concerned gain knowledge of coastal processes, potential risks and possible measures. We evaluate how coastal municipalities develop and implement strategies for planning and managing the coast that ensure long-term sustainable solutions; manage erosion and flood on the basis of good knowledge, long-term visibility, flexibility, transparency and a holistic perspective. And we highlight how Regional Coastal Cooperation works to ensure that there is a sustainable and fair distribution of responsibilities and financing model for the undertaken measures. Finally, we assess the need for continued and strengthened cooperation in these coastal regions.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahan T. M. Dissanayake ◽  
Meagan K. Hennessey

We analyze the benefits of incorporating climate change into land conservation decisions using wetland migration under rising sea-levels as a case study. We use a simple and inexpensive decision method, a knapsack algorithm implemented in Excel, with (1) simulation data to show that ignoring sea-level rise predictions lead to suboptimal outcomes, and (2) an application to land conservation in Phippsburg, Maine to show the real-world applicability. The simulation shows an 11-percent to almost 30-percent gain in increased benefits when accounting for sea-level rise. The results highlight that it is possible to, and important to, incorporate sea-level rise into conservation planning.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole E. Peterson ◽  
Craig E. Landry ◽  
Clark R. Alexander ◽  
Kevin Samples ◽  
Brian P. Bledsoe

Abstract Rising sea levels and growing coastal populations are intensifying interactions at the land-sea interface. To stabilize upland and protect human developments from coastal hazards, landowners commonly emplace hard armoring structures, such as bulkheads and revetments, along estuarine shorelines. The ecological and economic consequences of shoreline armoring have garnered significant attention; however, few studies have examined the extent of hard armoring or identified drivers of hard armoring patterns at the individual landowner level across large geographical areas. This study addresses this knowledge gap by using a fine-scale census of hard armoring along the entire Georgia U.S. estuarine coastline. We develop a parsimonious statistical model that accurately predicts the probability of armoring emplacement at the parcel level based on a set of environmental and socioeconomic variables. Several interacting influences contribute to patterns of shoreline armoring; in particular, shoreline slope and the presence of armoring on a neighboring parcel are strong predictors of armoring. The model also suggests that continued sea level rise and coastal population growth could trigger future increases in armoring, emphasizing the importance of considering dynamic patterns of armoring when evaluating the potential effects of sea level rise. For example, evolving distributions of armoring should be considered in predictions of future salt marsh migration. The modeling approach developed in this study is adaptable to assessing patterns of hard armoring in other regions. With improved understanding of hard armoring distributions, sea level rise response plans can be fully informed to design more efficient scenarios for both urban development and coastal ecosystems.


Eos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Sima

A series of industry posters reimagines iconic locales in light of sea level rise and issues a call for action against climate change.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinay Shivamurthy ◽  
Bharath Aithal

<p>Coastal flooding are natural processes that are both i) essential (providing nutrients to the coastal vegetation, habitats) and ii) hazardous (negatively impact human activities, livelihood, assets, livestock and so on). Climate changes have induced higher frequency of floods, rising sea levels, high amplitude tides and other climatic extremes at regional to global scales. The increasing intensity, duration of floods is proportionately increasing the risks associated with coastal human habitations. The regional risks are defined based on the physical, demographic, socio-economic vulnerability of the habitants. Sea level rise would further enhance the coastal inundations permanently breaching these productive, densely populated regions. This necessitates the need for spatially assessing the relative hazard, vulnerability and risks at regional scales to reduce/mitigate risks.</p><p>Indian subcontinent supports the second largest global population, with numerous megacities, towns and villages along the coast and mainland. This study's main objective is to quantify the risk associated with inundations caused by rising sea levels, tidal surge at the regional level. As a case study, Sagar Island located in the verge of Sundarbans, south of West Bengal is considered. Flood risk assessment in the island has been carried out using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework based on 23 spatial parameters.</p><p>Results indicate, within a century (1922 – 2020), the island has lost most of its natural vegetation (mangroves - Sundarbans) (47% to 3%), with increasing cultivated (agriculture, horticulture) spaces (77.4 %) and built-up environs (8.2%). Sea level rise varies from 4.4 mm/year (South) to 5.25 mm/year (North) and in the last century has breached over 2824 hectares of mainland. The study's findings reveal 19.8% of horticulture and 33.3% of agriculture assets are highly exposed to natural hazards. 1.34% population are at relatively very high-risk levels, 17.81% at high-risk levels. The study's findings reveal the variable importance of socio-economic, demographic, topographic and proximity to public service, in defining the flood vulnerability and risk towards the habitants. The approach and findings of paves the way for planning authorities to prioritise risk mitigation strategies that are region-specific to reduce the impact of inundation due to natural hazards</p><p><em>Keywords: Sea level rise, Flood risk, MCDA, Vulnerability, flood hazard</em></p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-424
Author(s):  
Aleksandr KHOLOPTSEV ◽  
Sergey PODPORIN

The paper aims to investigate basic features of modern long-term variations of the Okhotsk Sea level in its coastal areas and establish feasibility of certain retrospective analysis databases usage for determination of mean rates of the above processes. The reanalysis databases considered include Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis GLORYS12v.1 by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service and ICDC-reanalysis supported by the Integrated Climate Data Center, which provide coverage of the sea in question. The raised problem is of significant interest for physiographers, oceanographers and involved in coastal shipping and marine safety in the Sea of Okhotsk. Long-term sea level variations are most accurately monitored by tide gauge stations, which, however, are scarce along the coast of the sea in question. Less accurate and not uniformly available through easier to use and collect data is the satellite monitoring by radar altimeters. Global retrospective analyses based on mathematical modelling are considered to be an effective instrument to assess sea levels at any given time at any point.


Author(s):  
Amelius Andi Mansawan ◽  
Jonson Lumban Gaol ◽  
James P. Panjaitan

Observation of sea levels continuously is very important in order to adapt the disasters in the coastal areas. Conventionally observations of sea level using tide gauge, but the number of tide gauge installed along the coast of Indonesia is still limited. Altimetry satellite data is one solution; therefore it is necessary to assess the potential and accuracy of altimetry satellite data to complement the sea level data from tide gauges. The study was conducted in the coastal waters of Cilacap and Bali by analysis data Envisat satellite altimetry for period 2003 to 2010 and data compiled from a variety of satellite altimetry from 2006 to 2014. Data tidal was used as a comparison of altimetry satellite data. The altimetry satellite data in Cilacap and Benoa waters more than 90% could be used to assess the variation and the sea level rise during the period 2003-2010. The rate of sea level rise both the data of tidal and satellite altimetry data indicates the same rate was 3.5 mm/year in Cilacap. in Benoa are 4.7 mm/year and 5.60 mm/year respectively.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Parker

Abstract We show here the presence of significant “coldspot” of sea level rise along the West Coast of the United States and Canada (including Alaska). The 30-years sea level for the area are mostly falling also at subsiding locations as San Francisco and Seattle where subsidence is responsible for a long term positive rate of rise. The 20 long term tide gauges of the area of length exceeding the 60-years length have a naïve average rate of rise −0.729 mm/year in the update 30-Apr-2015, down from −0.624 mm/year in the update 14-Feb-2014. Therefore, along the West Coast of the United States and Canada the sea levels are on average falling, and becoming more and more negative.


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