Development of a common conceptual framework for the adaptation of coastal flood protection systems

In the context of climate change, sea level rise and land planning, systemic approaches based on resilience principles are required for the adaptation of coastal areas. In this paper, a new conceptual framework is proposed in which an area and its flood protection system are considered to be two nested social-ecological systems (SESs). Other types of networks of structures, especially transportation infrastructure (ports and waterways, roads and railways) can also be represented, in relation to the areas where they are located, as nested SESs. This conceptual framework, based mainly on the concept of social-ecological resilience, is recommended to develop a common adaptation strategy shared between infrastructure managers and land use planners. It also allows the complementary use of the concepts of technical, ecological and social resilience by different actors to meet specific objectives, which may concern the management of natural or anthropogenic structures or the revision of institutions.