Program on the Environment

Nearly 50% of human populations around the globe live in coastal regions. As a result, coastal ecosystems are impacted by human pressures such as development, pollution, and habitat destruction. This impact, paired with climate change, sea level rise, and coastal erosion are increasing vulnerability coastal ecosystems and the communities and economies that depend on their resources. Additionally, healthy and sustainable shorelines are vital for cultural identity. Managing, mitigating, and preparing for adversity depends on successful implementation of policy and multi-scale planning. The purpose of this study is to understand the challenges coastal communities face while implementing climate change adaptation and policies to build resilience. To accomplish this task, I narrowed my focus to two cities: Bainbridge Island, Washington and Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. Through an internship with the City of Bainbridge Island Planning and Community Development, I conducted extensive literature review on land-use policies, and analyzed the jurisdiction’s primary shoreline management tool, the Shoreline Master Program. While living in Cádiz for five months, I administered interviews with community members and coastal experts. Findings show that support for action on sea level rise is a challenge with the public, within local governments, and with elected officials. This challenge is heightened by current political climates, upfront costs for long-term projects, and the complex, interdependent nature of governmental systems. Addressing coastal communities’ hazards before impacts are catastrophic beacons a clear need for strategized culturally-relevant communication, integration of sea level rise language in management policies, and monetary incentives for coastal property owners.