Summary

Based on a major international study, this volume provides a synthesis of scientific knowledge on megacity urbanization on the coast, environmental impacts, risks and management choices, including a focus on adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk management. It is the primary output of a major international scientific project sponsored by the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme, the Land-Ocean Interactions at the Coastal Zone programme of IHDP/IGBP, and others. It brings together the work of over 60 contributing authors and an international review board.

It presents the international policy and academic community with an unbiased and high quality assessment of the state-of-the art in areas of social-ecological systems interaction. One of its main messages is that while we know a great deal about megacities of more than ten million people and about urban processes, and about coasts and their physical and ecological processes (aquatic, physical and atmospheric), there is relatively little work that focusses primarily at points of intersection between large-scale urbanization and the coast. The book responds to this gap by providing the first global synthesis of megacity and large urban region urbanization on the coast. Its focus is on environmental and development challenges, climate change and disaster. It is interdisciplinary and brings together world recognised scientists (including many IPCC lead authors) on urban climate and atmosphere, disaster risk management, demography and coastal environments.

Choice Review

The development of coastal megacities both affects and is affected by environmental change as a consequence of complex feedback loops that operate across wide-ranging scales of time and space. The authors of the seven papers in this volume argue that this social-ecological system--the coastal megacity--is being increasingly compromised by climate change, rising sea level, poor governance, and inadequate policy responses. Each paper focuses on some potential or realized hazard that emerges from the impact of extreme urbanization on the physical and ecological processes of shorelines worldwide. What are the social and environmental trends that will impact the quality of life for residents of coastal megacities during the 21st century, and what policies will mitigate their negative impacts on both people and the environment? This accessible, engaging work, based on a "major international scientific project" with members from diverse disciplines, addresses these questions; the ideas presented deserve a wide international audience. The volume is supported by chapter references and 16 color plates. --Paul R. Pinet, Colgate University