Stakeholder collaboration as a pathway to climate adaptation at coastal ports

In coastal regions of the U.S. maritime transportation system, compelling reasons exist for implementing measures for climate change adaptation. As the effects of climate change amplify the impacts of natural hazards, a critical aspect of the nation’s overall resiliency includes the ability of the maritime and coastal sectors to recover effectively from external shocks and to adapt to changing environmental conditions in order to continue to provide the services the nation relies upon for economic viability and homeland security. This requires adaptation for physical infrastructure as well as organizational, operational, and community elements throughout the maritime transportation system.This paper provides a literature review of port climate adaptation approaches, which highlights the established need and opportunities for collaboration among coastal stakeholders to implement climate adaptation in port communities. The current lack of federal support in the United States for climate adaptation in the maritime sector emphasizes the need for novel methods and approaches to facilitate adaptation at individual port and regional levels. A case study from the port community of Hampton Roads, Virginia provides an example of the time and effort dedicated to stakeholder collaboration to encourage local understanding of climate risks in order to facilitate successful adaptation.