Addressing Justice Concerns in Coastal Resilience Strategies: a Literature Review

As part of our commitment to advancing environmental justice for coastal communities, the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience has examined the complexities of enhancing resilience in coastal regions while avoiding the reinforcement of existing inequalities. How do power dynamics intersect with the concept of resilience in the current literature, and who benefits and who bears the brunt of coastal transformations?

Drawing on this review, the DCC-CR has delved deeper into the major issues that define coastal justice as seen from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The focus on the Global South aligns with the Centre's commitment to broaden the geographic representation in and impact of the Ocean Decade. This close reading of the literature brings attention to two pivotal dimensions for interpreting and framing coastal injustices: climate change and resource extraction. By scrutinizing adaptation strategies within coastal cities and their repercussions on vulnerable populations, the literature emphasizes the imperative for an equitable distribution of adaptation infrastructure. Moreover, the examination of the interplay between resource extraction and justice has emerged as a prominent theme, as seen in the analysis of conflicts arising from competing coastal uses, notably impacting small-scale fishers and coastal harvesters. Lastly, our analysis spotlights research endeavors dedicated to unraveling power imbalances in decision-making processes, advocating for a more inclusive approach that acknowledges local knowledge and institutions.