This professional development course in Coastal Climate Resilience is a collaboration between the Coastal Science and Policy Program and the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. Students in the Coastal Climate Resilience course will draw on UC Santa Cruz's expertise in coastal climate resilience and policy, including the application of nature-based solutions, local adaptation planning, and innovations. Participants will learn from experts in the academic, public, and private sectors.

Through cohort-based instruction and activities grounded in science, participants will build knowledge and skills relating to adaptation and resilience strategies, nature-based solutions, how to apply for funding, innovative financing, the insurance landscape, equitable engagement of interested parties, and more. This course is designed for those actively working in the field of coastal climate resilience with an aim to have practitioners apply learnings in real time.

The course aims to increase the number of practitioners in coastal communities that are knowledgeable and prepared to integrate a range of sustainability solutions. Practitioners will have the opportunity to network and workshop practical solutions that are applicable to their current role in coastal sustainability and resilience.

Students in the Coastal Climate Resilience course will learn to navigate coastal adaptation and sustainability projects from policies to practice for a resilient future. The course will help practitioners build a framework of opportunities, innovations, and practical solutions in coastal climate resilience.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, you should be able to

• Identify a range of practical solutions for adapting to climate risks, including nature-based solutions
• Know how to access resources for planning, evaluating, funding, and implementing a project
• Understand the landscape of models and tools available for coastal risk assessments and adaptation planning
• Engage interested parties in resilience and adaptation projects in an equitable way
• Build an interdisciplinary network to collaborate on local and regional resilience projects

Topics Include

• Principles of Coastal Resilience & Climate Change
• Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation: Case Studies & Tools
• Policies Relevant to Nature-based Solutions
• Equitable Engagement of Interested Parties
• Sources and Steps to Financing Coastal Resilience at National & State Levels
• Insurance and Innovative Financing for Resilient Communities
• Data Sources, Tools & Models for Resilient Coastal Adaptation

Skills Needed:

This course is designed for those actively working in the field of coastal climate resilience with an aim to have practitioners apply learnings in real time.