From Permafrost to Sunny Beaches: Lessons Learned from Alaska and Southeast Florida Climate Adaptation Studies

This paper examines two climate adaptation assessment studies conducted in significantly different climates—Alaska and southeast Florida. The purpose of the studies was to identify areas of commonality between the two studies with respect to the assessment steps, tools used, and the types of strategies and actions recommended. Four topics were identified for the assessment: forecasting future climate conditions, identifying impacts and disruptions, identifying adaptation strategies and options, and considering risks and uncertainties and the implications for engineering design. The paper concludes that the use of surrogate approaches for considered environmental conditions can be a valuable tool for those conducting adaptation assessment studies. Data quality was an important concern in both studies, and adaptation strategies should include both those designed to avoid damage and disruption and those designed to mitigate any potential consequence of an event. A broader concept of loss should be incorporated into the assessment process and into the engineering decisions relating to individual project designs.