Stakeholder engagement report: Coastal communities

The Coastal Community stakeholder engagement process is part of a larger process being undertaken by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance to solicit input from stakeholders in a variety of sectors in order to formulate public policy recommendations that will enhance climate change preparedness in New Jersey. The Coastal Community sector, for the purposes of this process, was defined as individuals in an elected or appointed position or employed by a coastal community or county. These are individuals who work within the coastal zone and make decisions on behalf of a local community or county. As coastal professionals, their daily decisions and actions directly affect the Jersey Shore where millions of people reside, vacation and earn a living. The process incorporated three in-person listening sessions around the state and a 14-question online survey. The report summarizes stakeholder perception of changing climate, climate change impacts of greatest concern, Super Storm Sandy experiences, vulnerable populations, perceptions of sectoral preparedness and leading practices.New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance (NJCAA). 2013.Stakeholder Engagement Report: Coastal Communities. Climate Change Preparedness inNew Jersey. Edited by Lisa Auermuller and Tony MacDonald. New Brunswick, New Jersey:Rutgers University