WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE: SEA LEVEL RISE, COASTAL EROSION AND CLIMATE ACTION IN CULTURAL CONTEXT

The multiple impacts of climate change to coastal zones pose highly complex problems to numerous and diverse stakeholders, from governments to scientists and local communities. The speed at which these changes and impacts are occurring is staggering, outpacing research and decision-making at all scales. While this is not the first time that sea level has risen – altering coastal geomorphology and affecting patterns of storm surge – it is the first time so many people live on coastal zones. The urgency to mitigate social vulnerability to climate change inspires action among scientists and other well-intentioned stakeholders, but the implementation of mitigation plans can easily exclude the same people they are trying to protect. This presentation shares the progress of DUNAS, an interdisciplinary project that integrates archaeology, coastal geomorphology and ecosystem restoration to mitigate climate impacts and stimulate climate action at community level in Manati, Puerto Rico. Geoarchaeology can help recover the memory of residential longevity and vindicate the relationship with place that is so important for grounding and recovering after disasters. It can also demonstrate in situ the impacts of climate change and the speed of coastal erosion. These observations highlight the urgency of climate action, which, in our case, begins with sand dune and ecosystem restoration and continues with community assessment of climate risks and hazards. As these processes continue, conversations can occur to move towards climate action within the local realities of growing poverty, problematic governance, and food and habitat insecurity. Addressing vulnerability to climate impacts requires understanding complex social issues. Building horizontal structures for integrative research design and governance can be a first step toward the practice of social justice in the geosciences.