Adapting Cities to Sea Level Rise

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy floods devastated coastal areas in New York and New Jersey. In 2017, Harvey flooded Houston.
Today in Miami, even on sunny days, king tides bring fish swimming through the streets in low-lying areas. These types
of events are typically called natural disasters. But overwhelming scientific consensus says they are actually the result of
human-induced climate change and irresponsible construction inside floodplains.



As cities build more flood-management infrastructure to adapt to the effects of a changing climate, they must go beyond
short-term flood protection and consider the long-term effects on the community, its environment, economy, and
relationship with the water.



Adapting Cities to Sea Level Rise, by infrastructure expert Stefan Al, introduces design responses to sea-level rise, drawing from examples around the globe. Going against standard engineering solutions, Al argues for approaches that are
integrated with the public realm, nature-based, and sensitive to local conditions and the community. He features design
responses to building resilience that creates new civic assets for cities. For the first time, the possible infrastructure
solutions are brought together in a clear and easy-to-read format.



The first part of the book looks at the challenges for cities that have historically faced sea-level rise and flooding issues,
and their response in resiliency through urban design. He presents diverse case studies from New Orleans to Ho Chi
Minh to Rotterdam, and draws best practices and urban design typologies for the second part of the book.



Part two is a graphic catalogue of best-practices or resilience strategies. These strategies are organized into four
categories: hard protect, soft protect, store, and retreat. The benefits and challenges of each strategy are outlined and
highlighted by a case study showing where that strategy has been applied.



Any professional or policymaker in coastal areas seeking to protect their communities from the effects of climate change
should start with this book. With the right solutions, Al shows, sea-level rise can become an opportunity to improve our
urban areas and landscapes, rather than a threat to our communities.