CoPe EAGER - Identifying Multiple Values for Beaches and Coastlines Under Sea Level Rise

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

Sea level rise represents a major threat to coastal ecosystems and communities. Responding requires a clear understanding of the multiple uses and values of coastlines and design of adaptation strategies that best supports these values or accounts for tradeoffs. There are two main adaptation solutions: (a) adapt in place through coastal hardening or elevation; or (b) strategic or managed retreat from the coast, either all at once or gradually over time. Proponents argue that managed retreat is an option that minimizes community exposure to coastal hazards exacerbated by sea level rise. However, while the process may appear orderly, the combination of existing infrastructure, social, economic and cultural ties to place, and land-use practices, make the implementation of such policies difficult. Jurisdictions struggle to find place-appropriate solutions at a scale that meets the problem of global change. Prioritizing public investments for coastal management requires understanding and communicating multiple ecological, socio-cultural, and economic values held by diverse user groups at a highly localized level in terms that can be utilized for policy and planning. This study considers a variety of coastal sites to better understand how their multiple values change with expected sea level rise. The investigators expect their study to result in a framework to support local decision-making for proactive policy and planning for coastlines facing rapid change. Students are involved with all aspects of this study. Assessing the costs and benefits of adaptation approaches in different contexts requires understanding the diverse uses and values of coastal areas, and how these may change with anticipated sea level rise. This study draws upon the emerging field of integrative valuation to assess the suite of benefits and tradeoffs between values associated with beaches and coastlines. Hawai'i serves as an excellent model system given the high socio-cultural, economic, and ecological values of diverse coastlines in a small geographical area. The investigators use several sites to identify and illustrate multiple ecological, cultural, and economic values. The study has three objectives: (1) Evaluate the ways that sea level rise and adaptation strategies have already influenced coastal ecosystems and communities through historical and archival analysis; (2) Develop indicators representing multiple values of beaches and coastlines using mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis, and assess how these are likely to change under sea level rise both with adaptation in place and managed retreat; and (3) Develop an innovative tradeoff framework that assists local decision-makers to proactively address these challenges in their coastal communities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.