Adaptation to climate change in coastal communities: findings from seven sites on four continents

Abstract

Climate change is causing wide-ranging effects on ecosystem services critical to coastal communities and livelihoods, creating an urgent need to adapt. Most studies of climate change adaptation consist of narrative descriptions of individual cases or global synthesis, making it difficult to formulate and test locally rooted but generalizable hypotheses about adaptation processes. In contrast, researchers in this study analyzed key points in climate change adaptation derived from coordinated fieldwork in seven coastal communities around the world, including Arctic, temperate, and tropical areas on four continents. Study communities faced multiple challenges from sea level rise and warmer ocean temperatures, including coastal erosion, increasing salinity, and ecological changes. We analyzed how the communities adapted to climate effects and other co-occurring forces for change, focusing on most important changes to local livelihoods and societies, and barriers to and enablers of adaptation. Although many factors contributed to adaptation, communities with strong self-organized local institutions appeared better able to adapt without substantial loss of well-being than communities where these institutions were weak or absent. Key features of these institutions included setting and enforcing rules locally and communication across scales. Self-governing local institutions have been associated with sustainable management of natural resources. In our study communities, analogous institutions played a similar role to moderate adverse effects from climate-driven environmental change. The findings suggest that policies to strengthen, recognize, and accommodate local institutions could improve adaptation outcomes.

Dwelling Characteristics Influence Indoor Temperature and May Pose Health Threats in LMICs

“…While similar studies have been carried out in southern Africa (see above), this is the first study to focus on coastal communities. Communities living in coastal settings can face temperatures that are moderated by the ocean, a concern in the climate change context as sea surface temperature levels are rising [28]. Hence, understanding the temperatures experienced by communities in relation to dwelling characteristics living in both coastal and inland settings in Africa will help inform interventions and information for awareness campaigns and preparedness in the current and future changing climate.…”

The rapidly changing Arctic and its societal implications

“…International opposition to hunting marine mammals and associated management regimes (e.g., narwhal tusk, walrus ivory, seal skins) have affected income earning opportunities and the consequent ability to invest in hunting equipment necessary to manage climate impacts (e.g., safety equipment, boats) while also reducing flexibility (Nuttall, 2020; Sejersen, 2015). The lack of decision‐making power in Arctic communities and insufficient authority over decisions that impact local social–ecological conditions have also been widely identified to limit the ability to manage change (Berman et al, 2020; Blair & Lovecraft, 2020; Stammler & Ivanova, 2020). The role of these (often long‐term) non‐climatic factors—and other potential future trends—in shaping vulnerability (or resilience) to future climate impacts has not been widely examined.…”

“…Barriers to adaptation in the Arctic parallel many of the challenges facing adaptation in diverse regions globally. This includes the existence of pressing socioeconomic problems, institutional and governmental barriers, limited knowledge of future climate risks and effectiveness of potential adaptations, uncertainty, demographic shifts, lack of financial resources, bias to mitigation in climate policy, and limited decision‐making power at local levels (Berman et al, 2020; Birchall & Bonnett, 2020; Labbe et al, 2017; Olsen et al, 2021). In Alaska, for example, the need to relocate high risk villages has been recognized by researchers, decision‐makers, and communities for sometime, and while progress is being made in some locations (Ristroph, 2017), institutional barriers have resulted in negligible progress overall (Albert et al, 2018).…”

Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Based on Multi-Hazardous Events. Case study: Northwestern Coastline of Guinea-Bissau (NC-GB)

“…This Natural Park is important site for nature conservation established in the 1980s by the national authority and the World Conservation Union (IUNC 2018;Mendy and Lobban 2013). The low-lying land, the climatic condition and landform characteristic are seen as the main factors related to high coastal vulnerability that have led to considerable loss of properties and environmental destructions (Berman et al 2020;Frumkin 2018). The coastlines in Guinea-Bissau are predicted to be negatively impacted by 21 st century if sea-level rises 1 m which is above the one predicted globally (3.1mm/yr.)…”