Environmental Studies Faculty and Staff Publications

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Keywords

Barrier island, South Carolina, Climate adaptation, Mediated modeling, Risk management

Abstract

Risk-based management approaches to climate adaptation depend on the assessment of potential threats, and their causes, vulnerabilities, and impacts. The refinement of these approaches relies heavily on detailed local knowledge of places and priorities, such as infrastructure, governance structures, and socio-economic conditions, as well as scientific understanding of climate projections and trends. Developing processes that integrate local and scientific knowledge will enhance the value of risk-based management approaches, facilitate group learning and planning processes, and support the capacity of communities to prepare for change. This study uses the Vulnerability, Consequences, and Adaptation Planning Scenarios (VCAPS) process, a form of analytic-deliberative dialogue, and the conceptual frameworks of hazard management and climate vulnerability, to integrate scientific and local knowledge. We worked with local government staff in an urbanized barrier island community (Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina) to consider climate risks, impacts, and adaptation challenges associated with sea level rise and wastewater and stormwater management. The findings discuss how the process increases understanding of town officials’ views of risks and climate change impacts to barrier islands, the management actions being considered to address of the multiple impacts of concern, and the local tradeoffs and challenges in adaptation planning. We also comment on group learning and specific adaptation tasks, strategies, and needs identified.

Publication Title

Climate Risk Management

Volume

4-5

First Page

17

Last Page

31

Required Publisher's Statement

Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

doi:10.1016/j.crm.2014.07.001

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Climatic changes--Risk management--South Carolina--Sullivans Island; Climatic changes--Government policy--South Carolina--Sullivans Island; Climatic change mitigation--South Carolina--Sullivans Island; Emergency management--South Carolina--Sullivans Island;

Geographic Coverage

Sullivans Island (S.C.)

Genre/Form

articles

Type

Text

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Share

COinS