adapt (verb)
/əˈdapt/
1. To adjust one’s behavior, systems, or environment in response to changing conditions in order to maintain function, well-being, or survival.
Together, we need to adapt to sea level rise.
There are several statistics circulating in the environmental sector about the costs of sea level rise adaptation in the Bay Area. Ultimately, these costs boil down to a central decision: spend $110 billion for shoreline restoration now or $230 billion in damages if no action is taken.
When we consider that the current timeline for large-scale restoration projects, from planning to design to implementation, is typically 10–15 years, the urgency becomes clear: the time to act is now.
However, adapting to climate change includes changing behavior. At the CCRCD, we are doing our part through the Contra Costa County Shoreline Leadership Academy. Led by the SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), in partnership with Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development, The Watershed Project, the Delta Stewardship Council, and the Exploratorium, this program upskills community members to better equip them as future stewards of the shoreline and serve as informed voices in local sea level rise planning processes, mandated by SB272.
The CCRCD is part of the planning team, helping develop curriculum and co-implementing sessions every other Saturday from January through June. We received over 100 local applicants, and through a competitive interview process, selected a cohort of 23 participants. Cohort members receive a stipend to support their participation.
Each session is framed through a sea level rise lens, covering topics such as transportation, levees, and living shorelines. Participants also develop individual passion projects throughout the program, culminating in final presentations at the end of the term.
The cohort has been enthusiastic, deeply engaged, and eager to absorb as much information as possible. I feel honored to be part of a program that reaches beyond the traditional environmental sector, advances equity in who is being served, and ultimately supports communities in adapting to sea level rise.
