Resilient Coastal Communities LaDon Swann, Director NOAA’s Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and Auburn University Marine Center

Coastal Resilience Index Five categories – – Critical infrastructure – – Community plans – – Mitigation measures – – Business plans – – Social systems 44 indicators

Coastal Resilience Index Creators – – AL, MS and LA Sea Grant through the Gulf of Mexico Alliance’s (GOMA) Coastal Community Resiliency priority issue team Gulf-wide implementation – – Communities, Sea Grant, GOMA, EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, and NOAA Coastal Storms Program – – Referenced in GCERTF preliminary plan Additional partners – – RAND, USACE, Chambers of Commerce and others

Climate Community of Practice A Community of Practice is a group of professionals who aim to achieve common outcomes. By working together, they can learn from one another and develop a set of effective common approaches that can be refined over time.

Climate Community of Practice A support and engagement framework for communities Purpose – – In-reach on climate adaptation strategies – – Out-reach to local governments Technical support Networking – – Long-term outcome is for communities to have climate adaptation plans Good: stand-alone plans Better: include in hazard mitigation plans

Smart Growth Planning 1. 1.Mix land uses 2. 2.Take advantage of compact building design 3. 3.Create a range of housing opportunities and choices 4. 4.Create walkable neighborhoods 5. 5.Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place 6. 6.Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas 7. 7.Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities 8. 8.Provide a variety of transportation choices 9. 9.Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

Measures of Community Resilience Natural environment – – Widely recognized and emphasized – – Will the emphasis on a resilient natural environment save communities over the long- term? Built environment – – Widely recognized – – Will the emphasis on a resilient built environment save communities over the long-term?

Can measures of well-being capture most of what we mean when we describe resilience in terms of natural, built and cultural domains?

Political Climate Social Networks  in provisioning Socio-Economic Valuation Policy Actions Non-policy Driven Factors Advocacy Groups NGOs/INGOs Not-for-profit Organizations Decision Support Policy-Driven Factors Environmental Regulation Economic Regulation and Reform Social Programs Access to services Altruism Clean environment Economic growth Ecosystem condition Education Health Leisure time Life satisfaction/ happiness Nutrition Public Infrastructure Safety and security Shelter Social cohesion Spiritual and cultural fulfillment Topophilia and biophilia Wealth Well-Being Domains Freedom and Choice Ecosystem Services Water Quality Regulation Air Quality Regulation Natural Hazard Protection Food & Fiber Recreation and Aesthetics Atmospheric Regulation Soil & Sediment Quality Regulation Pest & Disease Regulation Water Quantity Regulation Social Services Healthcare Public Health Financial Assistance Family Services Activism Justice Labor Claimed Civil Liberties Emergency Preparedness Education Public Works Communication Community & Faith Based Initiatives Economic Services Labor Market Stabilization Government Budget Interest Rates Redistribution of Income State of the Economy Social Conditions Good governance Societal Welfare Human Well-being Societal Well-being Environmental Well-being Economic Well-being Subjective Well-being Basic Human Needs State of the Environment Smith, L.M. et al Ecosystem services and human well-being: Integrating existing measures of well-being into a conceptual framework . In review. Ecology and Society.

What is required to effect change? Requires a fundamental understanding of human nature.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Conclusions A great deal of progress has been made to improve community resilience Largely influenced by: – – Natural and technological disasters – – Economic downturns A significant gap is comprehensive ecosystem services valuation