Work

Challenges and opportunities for implementing nature-based coastal protection in an urbanised coastal city based on public perceptions

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: There has been an increase in recognition of the benefits of employing nature-based coastal protection strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change (e.g., increased storminess, sea-level rise). To enable broader use of nature-based methods, coastal managers and policymakers need to consider the spatial placement and social acceptance of any methods considered. Published spatial planningmodels for nature-based coastal protection currently do not utilise social data during site selection. We conducted a public survey of 452 respondents from Singapore, a highly urbanised coastal city-state, to assess Singaporean’s perceptions of climate change impacts on coastal areas and their support of nature-based coastal protection. We also assessed the respondents willingness to accept trade-offs for the prioritisation of nature-based coastal protection and subsequently spatially mapped them. The results showed a high awareness of the potential impacts of climate change on coastal areas. Nature-based coastal protection was highly supported as the associated benefits, such as protection of wildlifeand their habitats and climate change reduction, were aligned with public values of coastal areas. However, nature-based coastal protection may not be prioritised over man-made structures due to the perception that they are less effective, and respondents may not be willing to undergo 1) replacement of their favourite coastal area, 2) increased taxes, and 3) relocation, for their prioritisation. Through spatially mapping the relevant trade-offs, we found that only 11.1% of coastal areas had moderate or high likelihood of social barriers to nature-based coastal protection, highlighting their potential in Singapore. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating social factors in government land use planning decisions.

Source: Journal of Environmental Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122620

Authors: Amanda R. Hsiung, Rania S. Hartanto, Natasha Bhatia, Rebecca L. Morris

Institutions: The University of Melbourne, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University

Language: English

Topic: Coastal and Marine Management

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,850