Informal meeting time for Hub members to get feedback on anything they want. Geared towards students and postdocs, Hub members can get support reviewing their CV, a job application, do a mock interview, practice a presentation, go over presentation slides or figures, learn more about public speaking, etc.

"Planning for Rising Tides:
Comparative Analysis of Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessments in the Pacific Northwest"

Speakers:  
Rachel Luther, Teagan Darmody, Ethan Clarke, and Caylene Castagno 

The assessment of vulnerability to sea level rise is increasingly recognized as a useful exercise supporting land-use, hazard and restoration planning, and policy- and decision-making. Vulnerability assessments addressing future hazards due to sea level rise have been conducted across U.S. coastlines, often supported by local, state, or national technical resources and guidance. In Washington State, at least 31 sea level rise vulnerability assessments have been conducted by local governments, Tribes, and state agencies since 2011, with the majority of those completed in the last five years. In 2023, the Washington State legislature passed House Bill 1181 that requires the Department of Ecology to update its Shoreline Master Program guidelines to “address the impact of sea level rise and increased storm severity.” Additionally, climate change planning and preparation is increasingly seen as a key component of ecosystem recovery in Puget Sound, and sea level rise vulnerability assessments in some instances are conducted with ecosystem recovery goals integrated or, at minimum, acknowledged. 

To identify best practices in the development and implementation of sea level rise vulnerability assessments we examined current practices in the Pacific Northwest. We did so by conducting comparative content analyses of sea level rise vulnerability assessments completed by local governments and Tribes in Washington State, along with select assessments from Oregon State and British Columbia, CA. Semi-structured interviews conducted with planning and management practitioners from across coastal jurisdictions, both with and without completed assessments, provided additional insights into sea level rise vulnerability processes and challenges. Vulnerability was generally defined in these assessments as the combination of sensitivity and exposure, mitigated by adaptive capacity. Results provide insights on effective practices and assessment methodologies, how climate-related assessments link with other regional priorities, and on challenges and opportunities for improvement. This study supports the increasing demand for sea level rise vulnerability assessments and provides a foundation for future guidance on sea level rise planning in the region. 

This project was conceived of as a Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples (CoPes) Hub Cascadia Community-Engaged Research Clearinghouse (CCERC) project by a team comprised state agency and the WA Sea Grant staff, academic researchers, and University of Washington Evans School graduate students, through the Evans School Student Consulting Lab. Support for the project came from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Washington State Climate Commitment Act, and the Cascadia CoPes Hub (NSF award 2103713).