Other UBC Event
Should I stay or should I go? Coastal flooding adaptation pathways across multiple objectives in Surrey, Canada
October 9, 2025, 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm
IRES Student Seminar with Mauricio Carvallo
Talk summary:
Coastal communities face increased risks from climate change impacts such as sea level rise and increased intensity of storms. Planning approaches that address climate uncertainties include those focused on flexibility, such as the Adaptation Pathways methodology, which aim to develop plans that can be adjusted as new information becomes available. Using the City of Surrey as a case-study, this research analyses how the preferred sequences of adaptation projects vary based on the adaptation goals, the implementation costs, and climate scenarios. For agricultural lands, infrastructure and residential areas, critical thresholds and metrics were developed in consultation with City officials to assess the performance of adaptation projects. The SFINCS coastal flood model was then used to test a large number of scenarios to identify under which circumstances the City’s adaptation plans might need to change to ensure its adaptation objectives are met. This methodology will hopefully help the City decide which projects to prioritize in the short term.
Bio:
Mauricio joined IRES in 2020 as a PhD student supervised by Dr. Stephanie Chang. Having lived in big cities all his life, he quickly became interested in sustainable urban development, ultimately pursuing an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. His graduate studies focused on sustainable stormwater management, incorporating aspects such as social perception and acceptance, environmental impacts/benefits, and economic costs. After his graduate studies, he worked for 4 years as a municipal engineer in the Montreal area, developing long-term drainage master plans. He is interested in science communication and has recently served as media contact with Radio Canada in Vancouver.