The Role of Disaster Relief Policy in Building Resilient Coastal Regions in the United States

Abstract

The United States of America has a long history of providing financial assistance to those it deems have suffered through no fault of their own. In the parlance of federal disaster assistance, this has generally meant the harm is caused by "natural" phenomenon outside human agency. When the harm is seen as "human-caused," for example economic recessions, there has been a consistent reluctance to provide financial relief to those impacted. This chapter explores this dynamic through the lens of coastal climate change adaptation. Questions explored include the following. Should the impacts of climate change (e.g., increased storm frequency and intensity) be seen as entirely "natural" from a disaster relief perspective. And if so, what impact does this have on a sense of individual and group responsibility towards climate change? Alternatively, if seen as "human-caused," does that increase individual responsibility for the impacts (e.g., home damage due to coastal storm surge) and thus preclude taxpayer subsidized relief for those impacted? The ultimate question to be asked is what role does defining climate-related coastal damage as "natural" versus "human-caused" for purposes of federal disaster relief policy have on developing resilient coastal regions? The answers to these questions are relevant in informing policy as it attempts to address how to approach proactive resiliency planning along our built coastlines.

Keywords: Climate change, coastal management, disaster relief, hazard, public policy, resilience