Adaptation is defined as the planned or unplanned, reactive or anticipatory, successful or unsuccessful response of a system to a change in its environment. This paper examines the current status of adaptation to sea-level rise and climate change in the context of European coasts. Adaptation can greatly reduce the impact of sea-level rise (and other coastal changes), although it requires adjustment of coastal management policies to changing circumstances. Consequently, adaptation is a social, political, and economic process, rather than just a technical exercise, as it is often conceived. The Synthesis and Upscaling of sea-level Rise Vulnerability Assessment Studies project has shown that adaptation to sea-level rise is widely divergent among European countries. Crudely, four groups of countries were identified:
At the European Union level, while coastal management is a focus, this effort is mainly targeted at today's problems. Hence, this paper suggests the need for a concerted effort to address adaptation in coastal zones across Europe. Sharing of experience among countries would facilitate this process.
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1 March 2008
Towards Successful Adaptation to Sea-Level Rise along Europe's Coasts
Richard S. J. Tol,
Richard J. T. Klein,
Robert J. Nicholls
Journal of Coastal Research
Vol. 2008 • No. 242
March 2008
Vol. 2008 • No. 242
March 2008
accommodation
climate change
coastal management
protection
retreat
vulnerability