Chairs: Ambe J. Njoh and Lucy Deba Leonel (University of South Florida, USA)
Type: in person
There is no shortage of research and writing on extreme weather events in coastal and marine communities. What is in short supply are comparative works on the institutional responses to such events. Far more lacking are works comparing these responses in developing and developed countries. Consequently, large gaps characterize knowledge on factors affecting resilience to extreme weather events in different settings. The proposed session promises to contribute to ongoing efforts to bridge these gaps. Presenters with varying backgrounds will analyze institutional responses to extreme weather events in coastal and marine communities in the US (particularly, Tampa Bay, Florida), the Caribbean (particularly Trinidad and Tobago), and West Africa (specifically Limbe, Cameroon). The discussion segment of the presentations will provide an opportunity to compare and draw lessons from the diverse experiences of these communities. The focus of the presentations will be on institutional impediments and facilitators to resilience initiatives; of particular importance are the institutional factors affecting the capacity to adapt or adjust and maintain functionality or recover from disturbances under changing climatic conditions.
Keywords: climate change, extreme weather conditions, institutional frameworks, resilience