Integrating Ethics, Behavior and Modeling for Just Climate Adaptation via Managed Retreat
Author : Dr. Pratyush Mishra
Abstract :
This study investigates the design of just managed retreat policies in vulnerable coastal regions. Existing approaches are often incomplete, prioritizing biophysical hazard data (Natural Science) over the complex interplay of socioeconomic barriers to relocation (Social Science) and the essential normative questions of land justice (Humanities). Our objective is to generate a fully integrated framework for ethically informed, equitable adaptation planning.
The methodology employs a mixed-methods, comparative case study approach. Coastal erosion and sea-level rise projections (Natural Science) were used to define necessary retreat zones; these projections then informed Social Science data collection (surveys on household adaptive capacity and economic displacement models). Crucially, the resulting policy scenarios were critically evaluated against Humanities perspectives, specifically distributive justice principles, to ensure equitable outcomes.
Key findings reveal that technical necessity is often socially and ethically unviable without significant policy restructuring. Specifically, adaptation policies framed through a lens of intergenerational fairness achieved demonstrably higher predicted compliance and social acceptance in modeling compared to purely cost-benefit approaches. The core implication is that biophysical necessity must be mediated by ethical acceptability for successful climate adaptation. This integrated research offers a necessary model for balancing scientific urgency with social equity in global climate governance.
Keywords :
Managed Retreat, Climate Adaptation, Transdisciplinarity, Climate Justice, Ethics, Behavioral Science, Coastal Modeling, Policy Integration
