Implementing coastal adaptation: assessing and explaining success by local governments in Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

As coastal communities increasingly plan for climate change, there is a need to understand factors that influence whether planned actions get implemented. This study examines the implementation of coastal adaptation actions across Nova Scotia, Canada, the first province in the country to establish a regional policy framework to address adaptation by requiring municipalities to prepare Municipal Climate Change Action Plans (MCCAPs). Using the MCCAPs from 20 coastal communities, this study employs a mixed-methods approach that includes content analysis, surveys, and expert interviews to follow up on the actions identified as priorities in these plans. It finds that the MCCAPs successfully stimulated coastal adaptation throughout the province: within six years, nearly 75% of the 331 priority actions in these plans were implemented to some degree. Logistic regression models, supported by interviews with municipal representatives, indicate that political continuity and public participation throughout the planning process are significant determinants of successful implementation.