Costs and coasts: an empirical assessment of physical and institutional climate adaptation pathways

Abstract

The distribution of the potential benefits and costs of adapting to protect against storm surge inundation vary greatly both within and between coastal communities. This diversity is a result of physical factors, such as the risk of storm surge, sea level rise projections, and the topography of the landscape, as well as socioeconomic factors, such as the level of development and the capacity within the community to adapt. Because the costs and benefits of adapting to protect against inundation accrue differently across the community, different players stand to win or lose from different adaptations. Moreover, the scales at which adaptation decisions are made and funded can influence the types of adaptations being implemented. Beginning to build an understanding of these issues is vital to the design of equitable institutions to manage inundation risk by adaptation.