Coastal Resilience DoD Liaison Program

The 2021 Department of Defense Climate Adaptation Plan identifies climate change as a critical national security issue and threat multiplier that is already costing billions of dollars and degrading mission capabilities. Coastal defense communities, which are those that are adjacent or economically tied to military missions, are seeing increasing impacts of sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather and other hazards as a result of climate change. Resilience efforts in these areas need to be coordinated between military installations and their communities to protect life, property and mission readiness.

The coastal resilience Department of Defense (DoD) liaison program is designed to assist defense communities in becoming more resilient to coastal hazards by sharing expertise and making connections across Sea Grant, Department of Defense and community leadership.

The liaison works with Sea Grant coastal resilience specialists and others across the network to leverage expertise in resilience planning, water resources management, community engagement, communication, nature-based infrastructure, conservation, floodplain management and education to advance the sustainability of coastal defense communities and ecosystems.

The program is a partnership between Sea Grant and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment) at DoD, working with the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) and the DoD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program. Both national and southeast regional (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS) priorities guide the program that seeks synergies with relevant coastal resilience efforts. The liaison also supports the work of SERPPAS and REPI through leadership in their coastal resilience programs.

Resources

• Report: Best Practices and Guidance for Engaging with Military Installations for Climate Resilience in Defense Communities
• Report: Connecting Sea Grant Professionals to Department of Defense Climate Resilience Initiatives at a National Conference
• Report: Advancing Coastal Resilience in Mississippi Defense Communities 
• Funding opportunities for defense communities
• Resources and tools for coastal resilience in defense communities
• Sea Grant/SERPPAS Workshop Report: Advancing Coastal Resilience in the Southeast Defense Communities