Adapting to Coastal Climate Change: Designing with Nature in the Coastal Zone

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• Adapting to Coastal Climate Change Designing
  with Nature in the Coastal Zone
• Pam Rubinoff
• University of Rhode Island
• Coastal Resources Center

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What we need to see in 10 years

• Adaptation is not seen as an add-on, it is an
  essential element of policies, programs,
  projects, places and the people
• Platforms exist for local action
• Measures and strategies are tested
• Adaptation mitigation are both advanced
• Information is available at all levels,
  especially at the place where implemented
• There is a cadre of climate change adaptation
  professionals

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Adapting to Climate Variability and Change

• Educate project planners
• Increase resilience of projects
• Improve planning processes
• Outline approach

http//www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/climate/
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Coastal Adaptation Guidebook

• Climate Change Adaptation Manual
• COMPLETE

• Coastal Adaptation Guidebook
• IN PROGRESS

• Covers broad range of impacts, landscapes, and
  economic settings
• Focus on program and project design
• Audience program project designers

• Tailored to coastal areas
• Applicable to places, projects, programs,
  policies, plans
• Elaborates on specific measures and strategies
• Audience practitioners designers

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Feedback from Conference Participants

• Selecting key messages for our audience
• overarching principles of practice
• Defining the problem
• impacts of climate variability and change
• Determining the goals of adaptation
• outcomes
• How we should address climate change
• adaptation measures
• implementation strategies

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Adaptation measures improve upon, or do not
compromise social equity
Freshwater supplies access for human uses are
available
The built environment is less exposed
vulnerable to damages from natural hazards
The natural shoreline is ecologically sound and
functioning as a dynamic system.
Extraction use of resources do not compromise
ecosystem sustainability
Impacts to human health and safety are minimized
Coastal marine ecosystems are functioning
healthy
Marine fisheries are healthy resilient
Capacities for planned adaptation are strengthened
Economic development opportunities are not
diminished
Key climatic refugia are reserved
OUTCOME-based Measures
Source of graphic www.greencoasts.org
Source www.greencoasts.org
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Repertoire of Tools for Practioners

• Technical Briefs
• Coastal setback
• Mangrove protection
• Land/water zoning
• Shoreline protection
• Marine protected area
• Habitat restoration
• Resolution of conflicts
• Sustainable finance
• Fisheries/Food security
• many others.....

• Climate Change Lens
• Relevance
• Constraints/opportunities
• Overcome Obstacles
• Design Considerations
• Cost and Benefits

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Implementation Strategies

• Use no-regrets actions that have complementary
  benefits
• Take long-term, place-based approach
• Employ medley of measures geared to outcomes
• Access local traditional knowledge
• Encourage transition from short-term to
  long-term political choices, design, funding
• Act now, but take evolutionary developmental
  stance. Be adaptive!

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work sessionsadvisory panelvirtual advisory
panelvolunteer authors case examplesfield
pilotstrainingGuidebook available October,
2008
Input Feedback from Practioners
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Thank youPam Rubinoff rubi_at_crc.uri.edu John
Furlow jfurlow_at_usaid.gov