Stewart Lane Commemorative Lecture

Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Geoengineering Coastlines: From Accidental to Intentional?

Dr. Sathya Gopalakrishnan

Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics at Ohio State University

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Delta Guelph Ball Room
50 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario

Free admission, all welcome.

RSVP is appreciated by emailing Emily Vogelman at fare@uoguelph.ca.                                                                                                                                       

Abstract

Are humans geoengineering entire coastlines even when coastal adaptation is often local and decentralized? Loss of lives, coastal land, property, and infrastructure due to storm damage and erosion have long threatened coastal economies. To manage vulnerability, humans alter coastlines by constructing seawalls, adding sand to widen beaches and build tall dunes. Ultimately, these adaptation investments affect future coastal change. In this talk, Sathya Gopalakrishnan will discuss the spatial and dynamic feedbacks with coastal management in an inherently coupled human–coastline system, and the need to consider long run implications of short run decisions to sustainably manage coastlines.