Our team, led by landscape architects and leading climate change, flood risk and coastal change specialists, worked with communities in Newhaven, Seaford, Lewes and surrounding rural areas to help them understand the risks and opportunities of long-term climate change and sea-level rise and plan for the future. We developed communications materials, including landscape visualisations, for various uses including public exhibitions and events, workshops, an online consultation and a pub quiz.
We used the outcomes to develop a vision and action plan for local adaptation, working with the Coastal Futures Group. To continue raising awareness beyond the project lifetime, we were commissioned to design a climate trail with displays in five popular local destinations.
Climate change is complex, with many impacts and adaptation options and much uncertainty. We created illustrated scenarios focused on local priorities to help people visualise and compare options and implications. Case studies, historical examples, computer graphics and hand-drawn illustrations helped bring the subject to life.
The project looked beyond traditional flood defences to consider alternative adaptation approaches over the next 150 years – well beyond regular planning horizons. This allowed us to think more creatively, but we also had to ensure that people could relate to issues arising beyond their lifetimes and the effects on future generations.
Climate change scepticism was another significant challenge. We focused only on impacts not causes of climate change to avoid the debate being side-tracked and referred only to peer-reviewed science and information published by government and related agencies.
It was essential to ensure that the individuals and communities involved felt empowered to act – difficult when faced with a challenge as great as climate change. We worked with the Coastal Futures Group to identify actions which were practical, realistic and achievable by community members with limited resources and they are now making significant progress in implementing them.
