Coastal challengesSeeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea-Level Rise

Recurring flood damage to homes and powerful storms that threaten infrastructure are realities facing many coastal North Carolina communities. However, for three predominately African-American, rural communities near the coast, NC State researchers documented additional injustices that threaten the communities’ ability to adapt to a changing climate.

In their study, the researchers reported on efforts to help these communities think about how to adapt to sea-level rise, flooding and other climate change impacts. They found that inequalities, economic limitations and injustices facing these communities can make residents feel vulnerable to climate impacts, and unheard in local planning and recovery efforts.

Their findings, published in the journal Land Use Policy, highlight the need for policymakers and researchers to work with affected coastal communities using strategies that are racially and economically inclusive.

“We need more research that uncovers climate injustices that exist in climate change adaption planning efforts, and that helps us to enhance community resilience,” said study co-author Erin Seekamp, professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC State. “Many residents have strong social bonds and deep connections to coastal landscapes, and leaving isn’t a desired option. Yet, human health issues are a concern as residents face mold and failing septic systems due to flooding and rising water tables.”

Laura Oleniacz of the NCSU’s The Abstract spoke to Seekamp about the study:

Laura Oleniacz: Why did you study communities in Tyrrell and Washington counties in North Carolina?
Erin Seekamp: Tyrrell and Washington counties are home to some of the lowest lying, rural areas in coastal North Carolina. Many of the communities are dependent on the region’s natural resources for their livelihoods through forestry, agriculture and nature-based tourism.

They are already experiencing some of the effects of a changing climate, including recurrent flooding, marsh migration and increasing salinity in the groundwater and soils that is reducing agricultural production and forest health. They’re also seeing coastal subsidence, meaning the land is sinking and slipping into the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.

There also isn’t the same type of tourism visitation as there is in Dare County to the Outer Banks beaches. The relatively low population in the region also means that there is a more limited tax base to implement adaptation solutions.