DICES

Dealing with change in SIDS: Societal action and political reaction in sea level change adaptation in Small Island Developing States

Prof. Dr. Beate M.W. Ratter, Arne Hennig MSc
Duration: 2016 - 2020

Publiction: C. Gabriel David, Arne Hennig, Beate M .W. Ratter, Volker Roeber, Zahid & Torsten Schlurmann (2021): Considering socio-political framings when analyzing coastal climate change effects can prevent maldevelopment on small islands. Nature communications, Volume 12, Article number: 5882.

The project DICES is part of the DFG Priority Programm SPP 1889 Regional Sea Level Change and Society. Understanding regional sea level change and its impacts on societies requires new forms of integ(Dealing with change in SIDS) analyses and develops options for the implementation of local coastal protection measures in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Implementing coastal protection measures is considered a necessary adaptation strategy in the context of projected sea level rise and the significant impact it is likely to have on society. An interdisciplinary team of coastal engineers, environmental economists and integrative geographers will via case studies (1) analyse the nature of societal action in its cultural embeddedness, (2) identify low-regret strategies as potential coastal protection measures and (3) investigate local people`s willingness to engage in the implementation of these measures. Formal and informal institutions are as important for the active implementation of adaptation strategies as coastal communities willingness to engage in alternative concepts of coastal protection and related potential infrastructural arrangements.

DICES particularly focuses on the societal framework conditions and political reactions under which adaptation strategies are perceived and embraced. Based on case studies in two different SIDS (Maldives & Papua New Guinea), existing governance structures will be investigated and compared to potential options for action derived from probabilistic pathway design.