Fact Sheet 2

ENSTU 300: Critical Thinking & Communication in Environmental Studies
Climate Coastal Preparedness

Policy Review
Jillian Stanley, Environmental Studies Program, California State University
Monterey Bay
Image courtesy of: www.cnbc.com

previously occupied by lower-income
Introduction residents and communities of color, thus
exacerbating displacement and disparities”
Climate change has been a debated topic in (The Environmental Law Institute, N.D.). In
Congress for nearly 30 years. In 1992 then order to be resilient in remediating climate
President George H.W. Bush signed the gentrification the subject must be
United Nations Framework Convention on understood. Climate Gentrification is a
Climate Change with the hopes of America response to climate change, coastal flooding
becoming a trailblazer in defending the and erosion, displacing homes and entire
world’s environmental health (C2ES). communities.
Without this initial action the following bills
and policies to remediate and assist, during It’s understood that climate gentrification
the unforeseen challenges of climate change, will be a reaction to sea level rise, high tide
would not exist. flooding, and coastal erosion. Planning has
shown to be difficult because the measure
With climate change intensifying, it’s and magnitude of climate change does not
coming to light that there are many social have a definite forecast as to the rate and
issues and injustices developing. Climate degree and varies from coast to coast, city to
gentrification, a modern term, is, “the city.
process of wealthier, often whiter
populations moving to areas less exposed to Today, nearly 40 percent of the American
the effects of climate change that were population lives in counties along the coast
(NOAA, 2018), putting nearly 160 million need revisions and better detail if it is to help
Americans, their homes and businesses at alleviate climate gentrification.
risk (Walsh, 2019).
H. RES 112
Coastal State Climate Preparedness
Act of 2019 H. RES 112, introduced by Representative
Francis Rooney of Florida, is specific to
Climate change disasters are increasing at an Florida and signals the urgency of actions
exponential rate and varying in degree towards sea level rise and flooding
depending on the location. On June 27, mitigation. The resolution is fully known as
2019, Representative Salud O. Carbajal of “Expressing the sense of the House of
California introduced bill H.R. 3541 which Representatives that sea level rise and
is an amendment to the Coastal Zone flooding are of urgent concern impacting
Management Act of 1972 to be titled the Florida that require proactive measure for
Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act of community planning and the State’s
2019. This bill is a request for an tourism-based economy to adapt.” Florida
establishment of “Coastal climate change already has a great deal of research
adaptation preparedness and response supporting sea level rise and the increased
program” (H.R. 3541, 2019). With this plan, expenses of repairs after king tides and
a state will be able to request assistance in storm surges. The resolution lists sensitive
putting together a reactionary plan for areas within Florida that are already in
coastal related damage and disasters. jeopardy or will soon be. This resolution is
currently the most closely identifiable
Environmental Justice for All Act attempt to alleviate the possible social and
economic effects of climate change on low-
The bill, S. 4401 proposed by Senator income communities.
Kamala Harris of California, Environmental
Justice Act for All would assist in shielding
communities of color, low-income
communities, and indigenous and Tribal
communities that are expecting to face
varying types and degrees of environmental,
economic, or public health impacts,
disproportionately. In the event that climate
change moves coastal communities inland,
and areas start to become gentrified, this bill
would help the communities to continue
supporting their population while
considering the impacts of allowing
additional development, increasing the
population, and the effects. While this bill
aims to assist communities under the
umbrella environmental justice, it will still
2
Literature Cited flooding.html#:~:text=High%20tide%2
0flooding%2C%20sometimes%20referr
Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act of ed,inconveniences%20such%20as%20r
2019, H.R. 3541, 116th Cong. (2019). oad%20closures.&text=Flooding%20no
Retrieved from: w%20occurs%20with%20high,the%20l
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th- oss%20of%20natural%20barriers
congress/house-
bill/3541/text?q=%7B%22search%22% Walsh, L. (2019). How best to tackle
3A%5B%22climate+migration%22%5 inequality in the 21st century? Start with
D%7D&r=8&s=3 climate change. Finance &
Development article. International
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Monetary Fund.
(2020). Congress Climate History. https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fa
https://www.c2es.org/content/congress- ndd/2019/07/16/lyndsay-walsh-
climate-history/ inequality-and-climate-change.htm
Environmental Justice for All Act, S. 4401,

116th Cong. (2019). Retrieved from:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-
congress/senate-
bill/4401/text?q=%7B%22search%22%
3A%5B%22coastal+zone+management
+act%22%5D%7D&r=24&s=1#toc-
H637E9D9747C0408CB2F8D6B9019E
DD1A
Expressing the sense of the House of

Representatives that sea level rise and
flooding are of urgent concern
impacting Florida that require proactive
measures for community planning and
the States tourism-based economy to
adapt, H.Res 112, 116th Cong. (2019).
Retrieved from:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-
congress/house-
resolution/112/text?q=%7B%22search
%22%3A%5B%22sea+level+rise%22%
5D%7D&r=1&s=2
NOAA. (2018). What is high tide flooding?

National Ocean Service website,
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nuis
ance-

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ENSTU 300: Critical Thinking & Communication in Environmental Studies

Climate Coastal Preparedness

Image courtesy of: www.cnbc.com

Environmental Justice for All Act, S. 4401,

Expressing the sense of the House of

NOAA. (2018). What is high tide flooding?

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