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A motorist stops to survey the damage to a washed-out roadway near McKay Section, N.S. on July 23, 2023. A long procession of intense thunderstorms dumped record amounts of rain across a wide swath of Nova Scotia, causing flash flooding, road washouts and power outages. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Flood risk mapping is a public good, so why the public resistance in Canada? Lessons from Nova Scotia

Public concerns for real estate value, and a focus on the self, make flood risk maps unpopular. However, these concerns should not dissuade governments from providing resources we can all trust.
“My family has lost everything. We all live in this area, and now it’s all gone,” said Fusto Maldonado, whose home in Barataria, Louisiana, flooded during Hurricane Ida. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Louisiana’s coastal cultures are threatened by the very plans meant to save their wetlands and barrier islands

As the state copes with hurricanes and climate disasters, it is figuring out how to manage the slow-motion loss of its coastal land. But its plans could endanger the cultures that define the region.
Projects based on comprehensive understanding of gender norms in coastal communities will contribute to improved community wellbeing. www.shutterstock.com

Gender matters in coastal livelihood programs in Indonesia

Identifying and overcoming barriers to equitable participation in social and economic life can improve the well-being of coastal communities.
Access to the shoreline is great, but what about places not on the coast? Béju (Happy City, Street Plan, University of Virginia)

‘Blue’ space: Access to water features can boost city dwellers’ mental health

Research into public health benefits of integrating nature into cities has focused on green spaces. New studies suggest water features are just as useful and can piggyback on other infrastructure goals.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau kayak in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, in British Columbia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

What Trudeau needs to do to become Canada’s first ‘Oceans Prime Minister’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken swift action on protecting marine areas over the past two years, but he’ll need to continue this momentum if he is to cement his legacy.
In the aftermath of 2012’s deadly Hurricane Sandy, New York launched a US$20 billion plan to defend the city against future storms as well as rising sea levels. David Shankbone/Flickr

Sea level rise is real – which is why we need to retreat from unrealistic advice

Managing the impacts of rising seas for some communities is being made more difficult by the actions of governments, homeowners – and even some well-intentioned climate adaptation experts.

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