Building resilience along coasts and watersheds
The problem: Climate change is making flooding from rivers, rain and the ocean more destructive. Around the world, more than 1.8 billion people are at risk from flooding, with low-income and marginalized communities at the most risk. Damage to natural protections like wetlands and risky economic development make the threat of flooding worse.
What we’re doing about it: We’re bringing natural flooding solutions to communities along the East and Gulf coasts of the U.S., the Mississippi River area and the Caribbean. Working with partners, we’re helping communities adapt better — especially those hit the hardest — fixing unfair flooding rules and making sure nature is valued in the process.
Our work building flood resilience
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Preparing for the next hurricane
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Natural infrastructure strengthens our climate resilience
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Watch: Bold plan seeks to save Louisiana‘s vanishing coastline
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Why every state in the United States needs a Chief Resilience Officer
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Inclusive insurance: Promoting post-flood financial resiliency for everyone
- Explainer
Natural infrastructure for thriving coasts and watersheds
Updates
Read the latest articles, blogs and press releases on coastal protection.
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Ahead of the 2025 General Assembly, here are 3 ways to build flood resilience in Virginia
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How Florida built resilience this hurricane season and what can be done to prepare for future storms
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Court rules against Youngkin Administration’s unlawful RGGI withdraw
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Nature is our best defense against climate change
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Science publishes EDF analysis warning up to 90 million acres of wetlands may now be at risk
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Local business and conservation interests jointly intervene in Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion lawsuit
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Coastal resilience resources
Dig deeper into our work with these resources for researchers, policymakers, journalists and communities.
- Article
Why should we protect wetlands? Because wetlands protect us
- Analysis
How the U.S. Supreme Court put the nation’s wetlands at risk
- Explainer
How climate change makes hurricanes more destructive
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Advancing flood resilience: Blog posts by EDF experts
- Initiative
Restoring the Mississippi River Delta
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Understanding the costs of inaction on climate change
Our coastal resilience experts
We bring wide-ranging perspectives and skills to forging coastal resilience. Meet some of the people who make it happen.
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Will McDow
Associate Vice President, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds
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Kate Boicourt
Director, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds
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Adam Gold
Manager, Coasts and Watersheds Science
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Carolyn Kousky
Associate Vice President, Economics and Policy Analysis
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Eileen McLellan
Lead Senior Scientist
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Emily Steinhilber
Director, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds, Virginia
Media contact
Samantha Tausendschoen
(715) 220-9930 (office)