Panel: Barriers and Bridges to Effective Climate Adaptation

Multiple barriers to effective implementation of adaptation programs and policies exist in the United States. There are numerous examples of cases in which the risks posed by climate change to infrastructure and natural systems are well understood and engineering/technological solutions exist, and yet effective adaptation strategies are not implemented. Scientific uncertainties and inadequate resources are often cited as the reasons effective adaptation strategies have not been implemented. However, significant institutional, legal, cultural, political, social/behavioral, and technological barriers also exist. This panel will examine these barriers in greater detail and offer possible strategies (“bridges”) for overcoming them.