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Coast, beach and land aerial view

From the tropics to the poles, half the world’s population lives on coasts where the impacts of a changing are most intense. Today, storms are more frequent and severe. Sea-level rise causes prolonged, catastrophic flooding. Melting permafrost causes houses to collapse and roads to slump. National security infrastructure is threatened—and human lives, economies, and livelihoods hang in the balance.

The UVA Environmental Institute focuses on interactions between people, infrastructure, and the changing environment—and on understanding natural processes, risks, and infrastructure issues. Teams are working to restore ecosystems, understand and design resilient coasts, and inform policy and decision-making. The Institute partners with rural and urban communities that face increasing risks from climate change to create a more resilient and sustainable future.

 

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Community Leaders at the Climate Equity Workshop

In addition, the UVA Environmental Institute is a leader in community-engaged research, working with communities on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded $5 million to an interdisciplinary team working on a project to build community capacity in rural coastal Virginia for enhanced climate adaptation and resilience. The project is led by EI Director Karen McGlathery, and brings together faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, UVA’s Biocomplexity Institute, Center for Community Partnerships, Institute for Engagement and Negotiation, William and Mary’s Coastal Policy Center, and Old Dominion University’s Resilience Collaborative. Read more about the project here.

Coastal Resilience Experts

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karen mcglathery
Karen
McGlathery
EI Director; Professor
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Larry
Band
Professor
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Pat Wiberg
Patricia
Wiberg
Professor
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Jon Goodall
Jonathan
Goodall
Professor; Associate Director, Link Lab
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Howie
Epstein
Professor and Chair
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Eelgrass from underwater in Chesapeake Bay

UVA’s Coastal Seagrass Project Aims to Enter the Global Carbon Market

Eelgrass is flourishing in Virginia’s seaside lagoons as a result of a restoration project led by scientists at UVA and its partner institutions, The Nature Conservancy and The Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
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Aerial photo of the Eastern Shore of Virginia

WATCH: Engaging Rural Eastern Shore Communities in Climate Solutions

At the EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit, a panel from UVA's Environmental Institute presented the Institute's work on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
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Sun set over the coastal marshlands on the Eastern Shore

New PBS Documentary Features Work on the Eastern Shore

A documentary that aired on PBS highlights the challenges the Eastern Shore faces, with an emphasis on UVA's work to address flooding and resilience on the coast.
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sun shines through the UVA Rotunda pillars

LISTEN: Celebrating Earth Day with Environmental Scientist Dr. Scott Doney

In this special Hoos in Stem episode, UVA's Environmental Institute affiliate Scott Doney speaks with host Ken Ono.
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Co-Producing a Climate Equity Atlas on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

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Aerial view of a hill

Green to Gray Tradeoffs in Negative Emissions Technologies

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pier on the coast

Bay Migrations Project: Cultural Artifacts of Risk Mitigation