Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marine Affairs
Department
Marine Affairs
First Advisor
David Bidwell
Abstract
As coastal communities continue to be impacted by climate change, many are grappling with how to protect the coastline, with most deciding between conventional engineered solutions and the relatively new method of Nature-based solutions (NbS). A major tradeoff to the implementation of engineered solutions is the loss of coastal habitat, which is a problem NbS can serve to remedy while still protecting the coast. Previous studies have found that public support for the implementation of NbS has been a significant factor in their successful implementation. In an environment where climate change and, by extension, climate adaptation has become politicized, this study aims to investigate the connection between political party affiliation, political ideology, and support for the implementation of NbS. An online survey was conducted through the Prolific platform and participants were asked about their support for the implementation of NbS, engineered solutions, their level of concern about climate change, their views on the environment through the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Scale, whether they own coastal property, and standard demographics questions. It was found that there was overall high support for the implementation of both NbS and engineered solutions, with NbS having a higher level of support than engineered solutions. Additionally, it was found that NEP score, worry about climate change, and coastal property ownership were factors that contributed to support for NbS and political partisanship contributed to support for engineered solutions. Secondarily, it was found that NEP score and level of concern about climate change were significantly related to political party affiliation and political ideology. Ultimately, this study shows that the implementation of NbS has high bipartisan support among coastal residents, but further studies are needed to fully understand all factors contributing to public support for coastal NbS.
Recommended Citation
Downer, Jane, "POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS IN COASTAL AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES" (2026). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 2711.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/2711