The main uncertainty for this Key Message is predicated on how different types of coastal effects (chronic flooding versus storms) will impact areas and communities along the coast. The degree of variation between communities means that it will be challenging to predict exactly which communities will be affected and to what extent, but the evidence thus far is clear: when it comes to climate-driven challenges and adaptation strategies, areas that have traditionally been underrepresented will continue to suffer more than wealthier or more prominent areas. Large-scale infrastructure investments are made in some areas and not others, and some local governments will not be able to afford what they need to do.
The variability in state laws and the pace at which those laws are evolving (such as shoreline management plans and setback policies for structures in the coastal zone) create major uncertainty.
There is very high confidence that structural inequalities in coastal communities will be exacerbated by climate change and its attendant effects (for example, storms, erosion). In the absence of clear policies and legal precedent, questions about land ownership and home ownership will persist.