Coastal climate adaptation public works, such as storm surge barriers and levees, are central elements of several current proposals to limit damages from coastal storms and sea‐level rise in the United States. Academic analysis of these public works projects is dominated by technocratic and engineering‐driven frameworks. However, social conflict, laws, political incentives, governance structures, and other political factors have played pivotal roles in determining the fate of government‐led coastal flood risk reduction efforts. Here, we review the ways in which politics has enabled or hindered the conception, design, and implementation of coastal risk reduction projects in the U.S. We draw from the literature in natural hazards, infrastructure, political science, and climate adaptation and give supporting examples. Overall, we find that (1) multiple floods are often needed to elicit earnest planning; (2) strong and continuous leadership from elected officials is necessary to advance projects; (3) stakeholder participation during the design stage has improved outcomes; (4) legal challenges to procedural and substantive shortcomings under environmental protection statutes present an enduring obstacle to implementing megastructure proposals.

中文翻译：

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减少沿海洪水风险的政治复杂性：美国气候适应公共工程的经验教训

沿海气候适应性公共工程，例如风暴潮壁垒和堤坝，是目前限制美国沿海风暴和海平面上升造成的损害的数项提案的核心要素。这些公共工程项目的学术分析主要由技术官僚和工程驱动的框架主导。但是，社会冲突，法律，政治激励措施，治理结构和其他政治因素在决定政府主导的减少沿海洪灾风险的努力中起着关键作用。在这里，我们回顾了政治因素在美国启用或阻碍沿海风险降低项目的概念，设计和实施的方式。我们从自然灾害，基础设施，政治学和气候适应方面的文献中汲取了经验，并给出了支持的例子。全面的，我们发现（1）经常需要多次洪水来引发认真的计划；（2）必须有民选官员的强大而持续的领导才能推进项目；（3）在设计阶段，利益相关者的参与改善了结果；（4）环境保护法规对程序和实质性缺陷的法律挑战为实施大型建筑提案提出了持久的障碍。