Adapting to sea level rise: Emerging governance issues in the San Francisco Bay Region

摘要: Abstract San Francisco Bay, the largest estuary on Pacific Coast of North America, is heavily encroached by a metropolitan region with over 7 million inhabitants. Urban development and infrastructure, much which built landfill at cost former baylands, were placed very low elevations. Sea level rise (SLR) poses formidable challenge to these highly exposed urban areas already stressed natural systems. “Green”, or ecosystem-based, adaptation way around Bay. Large scale wetland restoration projects have been concluded, further action now often requires articulation reinforcement flood defense structures, given encroachment. While levee setback, removal, would provide greater environmental benefit, need protect infrastructure has led trial ingenious solutions for promoting resilience while upgrading protection provided levees. We analyzed region’s governance planning structure, through direct observation, interviews stakeholders, study documents projects. present two examples where actual implementation SLR led, may lead to, revise standards practices require uneasy choices between conflicting public interests. Among there an increasing awareness risks related SLR, but institutional arrangements are complex, communication different agencies/departments not always as streamlined it could be. Some agencies departments adapt their procedures in order remove barriers adaptation, path dependence obstacle. There evidence that more frank regular actors needed. It also emphasizes benefits coordination efforts strategies, something was eroded transition from central-government-led policies new paradigm local-based adaptive governance.