Managing Climate Risks in Coastal Communities

Drawing on research from the New England Climate Adaptation Project, this book introduces a framework for building local capacity to respond to climate change. It argues that most of the responsibility for responding to climate risks must be taken by local stakeholders, and that climate adaptation efforts require collective rather than individual commitments to risk management.

Figures and Tables; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; PART I. 1. Helping Coastal Communities Prepare for and Respond to Climate Change-Related Risks; 2. Assessing the Social Landscape, Understanding the Readiness Challenge; 3. Why Public Engagement is Necessary to Enhance Local Readiness for Climate Adaptation; 4. NECAP Summary Risk Assessments: Creating Usable Knowledge to Help Communities Manage Climate Change Risks; 5. Enhancing Readiness to Adapt through Role-Play Simulations; 6. Reflecting on the New England Climate Adaptation Project-Lessons Learned; 7. Toward a Theory of Collective Risk Management; Appendix 1. Risk Assessment Projection: Barnstable; Appendix 2. Risk Assessment Projection: Cranston; Appendix 3. Risk Assessment Projection: Dover; Appendix 4. Risk Assessment Projection: Wells; Appendix 5. Workshop Pre-Questionnaires; Appendix 6. Workshop Post-Questionnaires; Appendix 7. Data Appendix: Workshop Survey and Public Poll Tables; PART II. Introduction; Stakeholder Assessment; Summary Risk Assessment; Role-play Simulation; Case Study; Public Poll Report; About the Authors; New England Climate Adaptation Project Partners; Index