Adaptive governance and institutional strategies for climate-induced community relocations in Alaska.

ABSTRACT: This article presents governance and institutional strategies for climate-induced community relocations. In Alaska, repeated extreme weather events coupled with climate change-induced coastal erosion impact the habitability of entire communities. Community residents and government agencies concur that relocation is the only adaptation strategy that can protect lives and infrastructure. Community relocation stretches the financial and institutional capacity of existing governance institutions. Based on a comparative analysis of three Alaskan communities, Kivalina, Newtok, and Shishmaref, which have chosen to relocate, we examine the institutional constraints to relocation in the United States. We identify policy changes and components of a toolkit that can facilitate community-based adaptat

SUBMITTER: Bronen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3677491 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature