Geoengineering Coastlines: From Accidental to Intentional?

Are humans geoengineering entire coastlines even when coastal adaptation is often local and decentralized? Storm damage, forfeiture of coastal land due to erosion, and loss of life have long threatened coastal economies. To manage vulnerability, humans alter coastlines by constructing seawalls and adding sand to widen beaches and build tall dunes, ultimately affecting future coastal change.

In this talk, Peter Wall Institute International Visiting Research Scholar Sathya Gopalakrishnan will discuss the spatial interconnectedness of coastal management in an inherently coupled human–coastline system, and the need to consider long run implications of short run decisions along the coast to sustainably manage coastlines. This lecture will be followed by a Q&A and a reception with light refreshments.

Sathya Gopalakrishnan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, a faculty member of the Environmental Science Graduate Program, and a founding member and director of the STEAM Factory at Ohio State University. Her research is motivated by an interest in applying economic theory to explore ubiquitous interdependencies between human decisions and biophysical processes that impact natural resources. 

Co-hosted by: Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and the Liu Institute for Global Issues. 

Presenters

Visiting Scholar

Sathya Gopalakrishnan

May 3, 2021

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