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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY |
The InstituteOld Dominion University is in the process of establishing the Mitigation and Adaptation Research Institute (MARI). This institute will engage in research that produces the practice-relevant knowledge needed to cope with the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on the coastal zone and the urban coast in particular. In doing so, MARI will respond to the knowledge needs of a wide range of community stakeholders, including government, military, private sector, and citizens. The high rate of local sea level rise, the exposure to extreme weather events, and the complex socio-economic structure makes Hampton Roads a natural laboratory for climate change and sea level rise. MARI will utilize this laboratory and work with stakeholders within and outside the region to generate the knowledge that can enable them not only to reduce the negative impacts but also to utilize the opportunities in the changes to come. To ensure that the stakeholders get the knowledge they can apply, MARI will work closely with them to ensure a co-creation of practice-relevant knowledge and to support them in the use of this knowledge. |
Vision and MissionMARI's vision is that of thriving coastal communities. In pursuit of this vision, MARI's mission is to engage in mitigation and adaptation research to provide the practice-relevant knowledge needed by coastal communities to handle the challenges, and utilize the opportunities, of climate change and sea level rise. |
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Preparing for a Range of Possible FuturesUnderstanding the probabilities of LSL rise, coastal communities need to prepare for rising sea levels and develop concepts for living where it is safe and working where it is needed. |
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A Stakeholder-Driven InstituteContinuous input from stakeholders in climate change mitigation and adaptation will enable MARI to create the practice-relevant knowledge society needs to find sustainable solutions to the challenge of climate change and sea level rise, which cannot be found without a solid foundation in solution-focused research. |
MARI's Research FocusMARI will focus on problem-motivated basic and applied research on all aspects of mitigation of climate change and its impacts as well as adaptation to the changes that cannot be prevented with a view on sustainable development. Implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures require societal decision making, and MARI will research the opportunities and obstacles in decision and policy making and the institutional framework for mitigation and adaptation. The institute will aim to develop a wide range of options for mitigation and adaptation. Doing so in an effective manner requires an understanding of the ranges and probabilities of the hazards and the identification of vulnerabilities, and MARI will research the effect of climate change on sea-level and weather-related hazards and the vulnerability of coastal communities to these hazards and provide risk assessments. The research will cover the robustness of the built environment in the urban coast, the robustness and resilience of crucial services such as food, water, communication, transportation, power, and public health, and the resilience of the social fabric in its socio-economic and socio-ecological settings. MARI will compare urban coasts in different cultural, social, economic and environmental settings to gain an understanding of the key factors that can support or limit the adaptive capabilities of coastal communities. MARI will facilitate and engage in collaborative, transdisciplinary research that is motivated by real-world problems and focused on the finding of solutions. In its research project, MARI will ensure a balance between the traditional academic disciplines and ensure that basic research on transdisciplinary methodology is inherently integrated in the research. MARI will work with societal stakeholders to develop options to mitigate and adapt to climate change and sea level rise, and in doing so, MARI will also research methodology for sustained co-design, co-creation, and co-usage of practice-relevant knowledge. |
Defining Mitigation and Adaptation
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MARI's Contribution to EducationMARI will engage in the development of transdisciplinary approaches to education related to scientific and societal challenges of climate change, sea level rise, and sustainability in general. The institute's role will be mainly in the development of transdisciplinary, problem-motivated courses, certificates, and degrees, and MARI will provide the teaching and education by taking maximum advantage of existing resources and faculty, always in a interdisciplinary fashion. The institute will begin by offering courses, which will be followed by certificates and, eventually, degrees. Certificates and degrees will be hosted in appropriate colleges and MARI members will engage in the required teaching. The complexity of the coastal zone as well as the nexus linking energy, food, water, and public health require a work forces and societal leadership that has an understanding of the coastal environment, including the urban coast, and its life-support systems as well as the impacts climate change, sea level rise, and environmental chances can have on this sensitive socio-ecological and socio-economic environment. MARI will develop a footprint on the workforce and leadership in Hampton Roads and beyond that will support the development of adaptive capabilities. |
A Need for Transdisciplinary EducationTo support, maintain and guide sustainable coastal communities, a work force and societal leadership is needed that can communicate across traditional disciplines and societal sectors, and to achieve this, a strong transdisciplinary element in education is needed. |
MARI and Student EngagementMARI will engage students in many different ways in its activities. Linking students to the societal environment is a cornerstone in engaging students. Bringing students in contact with the issues both in academic programs and activities that link them to societal problems is necessary to help students understand the challenge they will face over the decades to come. MARI will work with existing student engagement programs at ODU to achieve this. Of particular importance is collaborative leadership development. While MARI will develop certificates open to leaders in society, there is also a need to engage students in the effort of developing the leadership capabilities that are needed in mitigation and adaptation. Coupling the need and advantages of civic engagement in the deliberation of mitigation and adaptation strategies for the development and public acceptance of resilience-related policies, MARI will encourage Service Learning projects and courses that emphasize leadership development, critical thinking, and personal reflection while encouraging community, civic engagement, and personal responsibility. Student engagement and leadership development are vital for the linkage between ODU and its societal environment. |
An Uncertain Future Needs Engaged CitizensStudents are important for the future of our society and engaging them in addressing climate change is crucial for future generations of engaged citizens and a sustainable development. |
MARI and its OutreachThe outreach activities of MARI are embedded in the general outreach concept of ODU. They have the goal to link MARI to its stakeholders and by that to ensure that knowledge created responds to stakeholder needs and is available to those who can put it to work. The institute will conduct outreach, in both face-to-face and online settings, in particular by standing up and maintaining a comprehensive web presence. A focus is on multi-faceted dissemination of knowledge enabling mitigation and adaptation to climate change and SLR. Knowledge Management will be at the heart of this strategy. Maintaining and cultivating collaborative relationships with stakeholders in, and beyond, Hampton Roads is key to the success of MARI and to the understanding of the needs and requirements of those stakeholders with respect to mitigation and adaptation. The comprehensive outreach program will ensure that stakeholders are involved in the co-creation of the knowledge they need and that they have the capabilities to make use of this knowledge. |
Bringing Knowledge to Where it is NeededCreating knowledge is just the first step; in order to affect real change, managing that knowledge effectively and efficiently is crucial, with proactive outreach as the front and end stage of MARI's Knowledge Management process. |
MARI within ODU
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Facilitating Transdisciplinary Research and EducationThe discipline-based organization in higher education requires new elements outside this traditional environment that can built transdisciplinary education and research programs linking colleges and departments across boundaries. |
The Anatomy of MARI
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Supporting the Construction of SolutionsTo facilitate solutions, MARI will provide the functions that support problem-motivated projects based on common infrastructure, databases and knowledge bases, and enable to construction of comprehensive and innovative solutions from multi-project outcomes. |
Measuring the Impacts of MARI
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The Societal Benefits of MARIThe societal, environmental and economic costs of climate change and sea level rise are expected to grow rapidly. MARI will contribute to enable a wide range of stakeholders to reduce the costs through mitigation where possible and timely adaptation where needed. Importantly, the institute aims to be a source of new business opportunities and, in cooperation with the business world, help to generate jobs in the area of mitigation and adaptation. |