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Abstract Coastal climate adaptation public works, such as storm surge barriers and levees, are central elements of several current proposals to limit damages from coastal storms and sea‐level rise in the United States. Academic analysis of these public works projects is dominated by technocratic and engineering‐driven frameworks. However, social conflict, laws, political incentives, governance structures, and other political factors have played pivotal roles in determining the fate of government‐led coastal flood risk reduction efforts. Here, we review the ways in which politics has enabled or hindered the conception, design, and implementation of coastal risk reduction projects in the U.S. We draw from the literature in natural hazards, infrastructure, political science, and climate adaptation and give supporting examples. Overall, we find that (1) multiple floods are often needed to elicit earnest planning; (2) strong and continuous leadership from elected officials is necessary to advance projects; (3) stakeholder participation during the design stage has improved outcomes; (4) legal challenges to procedural and substantive shortcomings under environmental protection statutes present an enduring obstacle to implementing megastructure proposals.
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Remediation in developing countries: A review of previously implemented projects and analysis of stakeholder participation efforts
In developing countries, remediation projects are predominantly implemented in areas with imminent risks due to human exposure routes. Projects experience challenges due to funding constraints derived from the history of legacy pollution and informal livelihood occupations in addition to political and economic instability and weak regulatory structures. Remedial efforts therefore often utilize simple, cost-effective methods of excavation and safe storage of polluted media, most often of which is soil contaminated with heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Overcoming context-specific challenges require strong stakeholder participation efforts. However, most projects fail to effectively engage multiple stakeholders and suffer from inexperienced facilitation and inaccurately applied engagement methodologies. This literature review critically examines remedial projects in developing countries. Particular attention is given to remedial challenges specific to working in developing countries and current state of the practice of clean-up initiatives. It provides recommendations for enhancing existing remedial efforts by developing robust stakeholder participation efforts throughout the remedial process.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1743749
- PAR ID:
- 10208784
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
- ISSN:
- 1064-3389
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 22
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2020.1755203
