Precautionary versus Reactionary Adaptation to Coastal Climate Change: Local Solutions to this Global Problem

摘要

Through examination of a number of case studies, this paper has presented the range of risks, constraints and opportunities associated with precautionary and reactionary flood and erosion risk management. Clearly, where flood risk areas are large, highly populated and contain significant critical infrastructure, it is necessary to take a precautionary approach to climate change when managing flood and erosion risk. However, such approaches are likely to include a reactionary element as the degree of future climate change is uncertain.