Enhancing the Resilience of Coastal Communities

Abstract

The vitality of local, regional, environmental, social, and economic capital is key in ensuring the sustainability of local civil communities. Coastal areas are expected to see increases in natural hazards including sea-level rise. The need to understand the nature of coastal natural, social, and economic environments and their interaction is critical in ensuring a sustainable future. This chapter examines the changing nature of coastal communities and the hazards they face. It explores the nature of community vulnerability and the role of resilience in creating and sustaining a sustainable community including its social, economic, ecological, and built capital. Finally, strategies for community adaptation are explored to ensure that we create and sustain our social, economic, and ecological capital. The resilience of coastal communities is based upon our understanding and management of natural, economic, and social systems. The resilience of a community is based on its inherent vulnerability to hazards and how local communities utilize local resources in adapting to risks associated with natural hazards. Critical to planning for adaptation is community engagement and allowing local leaders the opportunity to more deeply appreciate the assets and challenges that they face and the need to plan for long-term sustainability. Building community adaptation and long-term sustainability is thus founded on community engagement, a deep appreciation of both the nature and interdependence of local natural, economic, social, and built systems.