Balancing Sustainable Coastal Management with Development in New Zealand

Abstract

Historically in New Zealand, coastal environments were viewed as amenities for subdivision to be incorporated into town structure plans with little regard for hazards and scientific investigation. This subdivision of coastal land has led to the proliferation of developments that are increasingly vulnerable to the slow landward creep of sea level rise and increasing extreme storm events. Planning and management of vulnerable coastal communities and infrastructure could benefit from an emphasis on sustainable and resilient adaptation through managed retreat away from coastal hazards. However, it is not at all clear exactly how managed retreat can be accomplished. This chapter explores methods for analysing the interactions and manifestations of complex intersecting environmental and economic systems that are implicit in a managed retreat from coastal hazards. These complex systems can be quantifiably analysed using the principles of evolutionary economics, which enables identification of knowledge structures and information flows that can inform institutional decision-making and planning. The chapter aims to explore how policy planning, implemented through the lens of evolutionary economics, can inform sustainable land-use management and development through managed retreat in the coastal environment. It discusses Systems Thinking approaches to aid the decision-making process in order to reveal effective policy outcomes and financial mechanisms that enable resilient coastal management. Specific consideration is given to System Dynamics modelling, economic impact analysis and Robust Decision Making.