A Climate Change Adaptation Planning Process for Low-Lying, Communities Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise

Sara Barron, Glenis Canete, Jeff Carmichael, David Flanders, Ellen Pond, Stephen Sheppard and Kristi Tatebe
Additional contact information
Sara Barron: Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, University of British Columbia, 2321–2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
Glenis Canete: Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, University of British Columbia, 2321–2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
Jeff Carmichael: Metro Vancouver, Burnaby, BC V5H 2C8, Canada
David Flanders: Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, University of British Columbia, 2321–2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
Ellen Pond: CALP Affiliate, Pembina Institute, #610-55 Water St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1, Canada
Stephen Sheppard: Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, University of British Columbia, 2321–2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
Kristi Tatebe: Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning, University of British Columbia, 2321–2260 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;

Sustainability, 2012, vol. 4, issue 9, 1-33

Abstract: While the province of British Columbia (BC), Canada, provides guidelines for flood risk management, it is local governments’ responsibility to delineate their own flood vulnerability, assess their risk, and integrate these with planning policies to implement adaptive action. However, barriers such as the lack of locally specific data and public perceptions about adaptation options mean that local governments must address the need for adaptation planning within a context of scientific uncertainty, while building public support for difficult choices on flood-related climate policy and action. This research demonstrates a process to model, visualize and evaluate potential flood impacts and adaptation options for the community of Delta, in Metro Vancouver, across economic, social and environmental perspectives. Visualizations in 2D and 3D, based on hydrological modeling of breach events for existing dike infrastructure, future sea level rise and storm surges, are generated collaboratively, together with future adaptation scenarios assessed against quantitative and qualitative indicators. This ‘visioning package’ is being used with staff and a citizens’ Working Group to assess the performance, policy implications and social acceptability of the adaptation strategies. Recommendations based on the experience of the initiative are provided that can facilitate sustainable future adaptation actions and decision-making in Delta and other jurisdictions.

Keywords: adaptation; climate change; vulnerability; flooding; inundation; planning process; participatory planning; resilience; sea level rise; visualization; integrated assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/4/9/2176/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/4/9/2176/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:4:y:2012:i:9:p:2176-2208:d:19998

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().