Adapting to Sea Level Rise in the Coastal Zone ─ Law and Policy Considerations

Comprehensive, but not overly technical, this book provides a legal-policy framework to the discussion of how coastal managers can best approach the problem of sea level rise. It identifies legal barriers and offers proposed solutions to mitigate the impact of those barriers. The book introduces the issue, delves into the science behind sea level rise, discusses policy complexities and options, followed by an overview of related legalities, then, bringing it all together, the author applies the principles offered in the book, concluding with strategies and solutions and a perspective on the future.

Chad J. McGuire is a professor of environmental policy within the Department of Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. He is also an attorney licensed to practice law in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts. His background is in environmental law and environmental science. Chad teaches, writes, and practices in the fields of environmental law, policy, sustainability, and dispute resolution. He has published more than 20 scholarly and applied articles on these topics over the past 10 years. He has worked on policy issues related to fisheries management, climate change, coastal management, and land use patterns. His expertise has been sought in both private and public forums, and he has served on committees for both nonprofit and government entities. He has more than 15 years of experience in the environmental management field. This book is based on his work in studying the problems that arise at the intersection of law and policy, in this case those problems that are directly related to coastal management planning necessitated by sea level rise.

In addition to this text, Professor McGuire is also the author of Environmental Decision-Making in Context: A Toolbox, published in 2012 by CRC Press, and part of the American Society for Public Administration’s Series in Public Administration and Public Policy.