Proceedings of the “Chronic Risk of Global Climate Change to Urban Coasts and Economies” Symposium held November 15-16, 2007 on the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.

Compiled by: Margaret Knuth, Elizabeth Livermont, and Alicia Mahon
Layout by: Dezine Fusion

Edited by: Jon K. Miller, Ph.D.

Global climate change is as much an issue for urban coasts as it is for any other portion of the shore and given the economic and social importance of these urban coastal centers, there is an overarching need to identify their vulnerabilities to sea level rise and related phenomena. Currently, little or no commitment to comprehensive assessment or long range planning is on-going to protect ports, working water fronts and other economic drivers of the nation’s coastal economy against the cumulative impacts of such threats.  In recognition of these shortcomings, the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium, the Urban Coast Institute of Monmouth University, the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Program, the Coastal Management Program of the NJ DEP, and the NJ DOT Office of Maritime Resources co-sponsored a two-day symposium designed to bring together local and international experts in both the science and impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

The symposium was organized loosely around the themes of climate change and sea level rise science, impacts and adaptations based on international case studies, and potential problems for urban coastlines within the New York – New Jersey Harbor region.  Facilitated discussion panels designed to identify user needs and generate critical dialogue between the stakeholders in attendance and the experts on the panels formed a critical element of the symposium program.  This web-based proceedings has been designed to encapsulate the critical elements of the symposium, while at the same time serving as conduit for the exchange of information and expertise amongst attendees and the public.  Any comments or questions regarding these proceedings can be addressed to Jon Miller at jmiller@stevens.edu.

This conference proceeding is the result of work sponsored by New Jersey Sea Grant with funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Sea Grant, U.S. Department of Commerce, under NOAA grant numbers SGEP-2 and SGEP-4 and New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium/New Jersey Sea Grant with funds appropriated by the State of New Jersey. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of New Jersey Sea Grant or the U.S Department of Commerce. NJSG-08-704