With sea level rise an anticipated impact of climate change, the extent to which storm surge can damage coastal communities will likely become much broader. A region’s vulnerability to storm surge increasingly depends on factors including economy, geography, and, perhaps most important, overall community perspective. Similar to many hurricane-prone areas, communities along the coast of Sarasota, Florida are highly vulnerable to impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and expanding storm surge hazard zones. In evaluating Sarasota’s risks and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts, Frazier et al. (2010) recognized that community perspective is quite possibly the most significant factor in adapting to and mitigating these impacts.
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However, Frazier et al. (2010) noted that when presented with future scenarios for the county, “sea level rise seemed to create an air of urgency to adopt mitigation or adaptation strategies” among community stakeholders. Upon review of the various sea level rise scenarios, community members became concerned with not only adapting to potential impacts, but also continuing to grow as a community. Collectively, the groups seemed to share the viewpoint that successful adaptation and mitigation strategies require that there be a balance between economic stability, community development, and environmental awareness. Each of the five focus groups from the Frazier et al. (2010) study attempted to incorporate some combination of these factors into their respective …show more content…
Although there were similarities in their proposed strategies, the business group was much more focused on ideas that protected economic stability and growth, while the environmental group concentrated on strategies that would preserve natural environments, particularly those to the east of the urban service boundary (USB). A concept that both groups shared in their proposals was that of ‘land swapping’. The idea of land swap is described as a “trade of ownership of developed land near the coast for land owned by the county in areas outside storm-surge zones” (Frazier et al, 2010). For instance, the ‘business focus group’ suggested offering incentives for businesses to move out of the storm surge hazard zone. Companies which do not rely on water-related activities to generate income would reduce the risk of losing profits as well as damage to infrastructure from storm surge. Through this strategy, the business group was able to incorporate the stability of their tourism-based economy into an adaptation
However, Frazier et al. (2010) noted that when presented with future scenarios for the county, “sea level rise seemed to create an air of urgency to adopt mitigation or adaptation strategies” among community stakeholders. Upon review of the various sea level rise scenarios, community members became concerned with not only adapting to potential impacts, but also continuing to grow as a community. Collectively, the groups seemed to share the viewpoint that successful adaptation and mitigation strategies require that there be a balance between economic stability, community development, and environmental awareness. Each of the five focus groups from the Frazier et al. (2010) study attempted to incorporate some combination of these factors into their respective …show more content…
Although there were similarities in their proposed strategies, the business group was much more focused on ideas that protected economic stability and growth, while the environmental group concentrated on strategies that would preserve natural environments, particularly those to the east of the urban service boundary (USB). A concept that both groups shared in their proposals was that of ‘land swapping’. The idea of land swap is described as a “trade of ownership of developed land near the coast for land owned by the county in areas outside storm-surge zones” (Frazier et al, 2010). For instance, the ‘business focus group’ suggested offering incentives for businesses to move out of the storm surge hazard zone. Companies which do not rely on water-related activities to generate income would reduce the risk of losing profits as well as damage to infrastructure from storm surge. Through this strategy, the business group was able to incorporate the stability of their tourism-based economy into an adaptation