Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary
This paper considers the perceptions and responses of selected stakeholders to a very low probability but high consequence climatic ‘surprise’—a scenario of rapid collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, producing a global rise in sea-level of 5 m over 100 years. It uses a case study of the Thames...
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ftmiddlesex:oai:eprints.mdx.ac.uk:7187 2023-05-15T13:51:48+02:00 Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary Lonsdale, K. G Downing, T. E. Nicholls, Robert J. Parker, Dennis J. Vafeidis, A. T. Dawson, Ray Hall, J. W. 2008 https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/7187/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 unknown Springer Lonsdale, K. G </view/creators/Lonsdale=3AK=2E_G=3A=3A.html>, Downing, T. E. </view/creators/Downing=3AT=2E_E=2E=3A=3A.html>, Nicholls, Robert J. </view/creators/Nicholls=3ARobert_J=2E=3A=3A.html>, Parker, Dennis J. </view/creators/Parker=3ADennis_J=2E=3A=3A.html>, Vafeidis, A. T. </view/creators/Vafeidis=3AA=2E_T=2E=3A=3A.html>, Dawson, Ray </view/creators/Dawson=3ARay=3A=3A.html> and Hall, J. W. </view/creators/Hall=3AJ=2E_W=2E=3A=3A.html> (2008) Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary. Climatic Change <https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/view/publications/Climatic_Change.html>, 91 (1-2) . pp. 145-169. ISSN 0165-0009 [Article] (doi:10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0>) Article PeerReviewed 2008 ftmiddlesex https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 2022-03-03T06:36:43Z This paper considers the perceptions and responses of selected stakeholders to a very low probability but high consequence climatic ‘surprise’—a scenario of rapid collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, producing a global rise in sea-level of 5 m over 100 years. It uses a case study of the Thames Estuary, UK, including London. Through a process of dialogue involving one-to-one interviews and a 1-day policy exercise, we addressed influences on decision-making when information is uncertain and our ability to plan, prepare for and implement effective ways of coping with this extreme scenario. The interviews and policy exercise explored plausible responses to the scenario and identified weaknesses in flood management approaches to dealing with such an occurrence. The analysis shows that an extreme scenario could be highly challenging, even for an area with well-developed institutions. Participants favoured two options (a) reconfiguring London around the rising water, and (b) building a new downstream barrier which would allow London to continue as today. The lack of consensus suggests the potential for policy paralysis in response to what is a highly uncertain phenomena—this could lead to a forced, unplanned response as the rapid change overwhelmed the existing defence capability. Hence, low probability, high consequence climatic events may challenge our existing institutions. Adaptive management is presented as an approach which could address this challenge. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Middlesex University London: Research Repository Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet Climatic Change 91 1-2 145 169 |
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Open Polar |
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Middlesex University London: Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftmiddlesex |
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unknown |
description |
This paper considers the perceptions and responses of selected stakeholders to a very low probability but high consequence climatic ‘surprise’—a scenario of rapid collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, producing a global rise in sea-level of 5 m over 100 years. It uses a case study of the Thames Estuary, UK, including London. Through a process of dialogue involving one-to-one interviews and a 1-day policy exercise, we addressed influences on decision-making when information is uncertain and our ability to plan, prepare for and implement effective ways of coping with this extreme scenario. The interviews and policy exercise explored plausible responses to the scenario and identified weaknesses in flood management approaches to dealing with such an occurrence. The analysis shows that an extreme scenario could be highly challenging, even for an area with well-developed institutions. Participants favoured two options (a) reconfiguring London around the rising water, and (b) building a new downstream barrier which would allow London to continue as today. The lack of consensus suggests the potential for policy paralysis in response to what is a highly uncertain phenomena—this could lead to a forced, unplanned response as the rapid change overwhelmed the existing defence capability. Hence, low probability, high consequence climatic events may challenge our existing institutions. Adaptive management is presented as an approach which could address this challenge. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lonsdale, K. G Downing, T. E. Nicholls, Robert J. Parker, Dennis J. Vafeidis, A. T. Dawson, Ray Hall, J. W. |
spellingShingle |
Lonsdale, K. G Downing, T. E. Nicholls, Robert J. Parker, Dennis J. Vafeidis, A. T. Dawson, Ray Hall, J. W. Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
author_facet |
Lonsdale, K. G Downing, T. E. Nicholls, Robert J. Parker, Dennis J. Vafeidis, A. T. Dawson, Ray Hall, J. W. |
author_sort |
Lonsdale, K. G |
title |
Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
title_short |
Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
title_full |
Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
title_fullStr |
Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
title_full_unstemmed |
Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary |
title_sort |
plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the thames estuary |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/7187/ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 |
geographic |
Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet |
op_relation |
Lonsdale, K. G </view/creators/Lonsdale=3AK=2E_G=3A=3A.html>, Downing, T. E. </view/creators/Downing=3AT=2E_E=2E=3A=3A.html>, Nicholls, Robert J. </view/creators/Nicholls=3ARobert_J=2E=3A=3A.html>, Parker, Dennis J. </view/creators/Parker=3ADennis_J=2E=3A=3A.html>, Vafeidis, A. T. </view/creators/Vafeidis=3AA=2E_T=2E=3A=3A.html>, Dawson, Ray </view/creators/Dawson=3ARay=3A=3A.html> and Hall, J. W. </view/creators/Hall=3AJ=2E_W=2E=3A=3A.html> (2008) Plausible responses to the threat of rapid sea-level rise in the Thames Estuary. Climatic Change <https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/view/publications/Climatic_Change.html>, 91 (1-2) . pp. 145-169. ISSN 0165-0009 [Article] (doi:10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0>) |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9483-0 |
container_title |
Climatic Change |
container_volume |
91 |
container_issue |
1-2 |
container_start_page |
145 |
op_container_end_page |
169 |
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1766255839870451712 |