Abstract

The Sea Level Rise Adaptation Exchange: Leading Practices for Moving from Assessment to Action was a virtual forum coordinated by the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) Sea Level Rise (SLR) Committee and EcoAdapt. In 2019, the WUCA SLR Committee was formed by the seven coastal member agencies working to address SLR––Seattle Public Utilities, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Diego County Water Authority, Tampa Bay Water, Philadelphia Water Department, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The goal of this committee is to foster discussion and information sharing in order to learn from each other and stay on top of adaptation best practices and the rapidly advancing field of SLR science.

The June 2021 forum was a part of a larger project called, Beyond Barrier to Implementation: a Water Sector Perspective on Sea Level Rise Adaptation, intended to document the leading practices in SLR adaptation for the water sector. Building on the WUCA Leading Practices project this effort focuses on a specific climate stressor—sea level rise—and a specific part of the adaptation process—implementation. The final product will serve as a guide to help utilities and their municipalities advance SLR adaptation efforts and address barriers to implementation.

Forum Goal: To create a forum for key stakeholders in coastal cities to discuss SLR adaptation opportunities and barriers, including the unique challenges faced by water utilities and other infrastructure managers

Forum Objectives:

1. Provide participants with baseline understanding of barriers to SLR adaptation.
2. Highlight case studies and success stories from around the U.S. that demonstrate best practices and tangible solutions.
3. Facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge exchange between and among cities.