Week 1 Reading
Jersey Shore Case Study
Overview
This week’s readings examine climate adaptation policy through a case study of New Jersey’s coastal regulations. These two articles describe the same location at two different points in time, allowing us to examine the gap between proposed climate adaptation policy and implementation outcomes.
Assigned Readings
Read these articles in order:
Frank (2022) – A 2022 article describing New Jersey’s proposed climate adaptation regulations, which used long-term sea level rise projections to restrict development in flood-prone areas.
Crawford (2025) – A 2025 article examining what happened to those regulations three years later, and the broader challenges facing coastal communities.
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Pre-Reading Guide
As you read, pay attention to the following:
From the 2022 article:
- What specific climate projections (sea level rise amounts, time horizons) formed the basis for the proposed regulations?
- What was the regulatory mechanism proposed to limit development?
- How was the plan received by scientists and rating agencies?
From the 2025 article:
- What happened to the proposed regulations between 2022 and 2025?
- What federal funding mechanisms currently support coastal protection, and what is their status?
- What does the phrase “loving this place to death” suggest about the limits of engineering solutions?
Discussion Questions
- What are the key differences between the 2022 proposal and the 2025 reality?
- Who bears the costs of coastal protection, and how might that change?
- What role do property values and market forces play in coastal adaptation decisions?