Richard J. Wenning – Wenning Environmental LLC, Yarmouth, Maine US
Presented at the Ad Hoc Industry Natural Resource Management Group, Best Practices Workshop, June 2024.
Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDAs) are used in the U.S. to evaluate and restore land and water resources affected by pollution, oil spills, and other hazardous releases. Traditionally, NRDAs assess the extent of ecological harm, determine the monetary value of damages, and guide restoration efforts. Climate change, however, is reshaping the function of ecosystems and generating uncertainties about the nature and extent of injuries, damage estimates, and primary and compensatory restoration needs. The environmental changes themselves are unpredictable. It is increasingly more challenging to predict the nature and extent of chemical contamination, how habitats and species will respond to contamination and recovery, and whether restored habitats will be sufficiently resilient to survive long-term. For example, rising ocean temperatures and acidification exacerbate the impacts of oil spills on marine life. At the same time, the increased frequency of wildfires and hurricanes accelerates the degradation of climate-weakened ecosystems. If NRDAs fail to account for climate-driven changes, the process risks underestimating or miscalculating the extent of damages and the effectiveness of restoration strategies.
What Changes are Needed in NRDA to Address Climate Change?
- Baseline Assessments
Climate change affects baseline conditions, i.e., the state of the environment before pollution occurs. Traditional NRDAs rely on historical data to establish pre-event conditions, but shifting climate conditions mean that past environmental status may no longer be a reliable target for restoration. Climate models will likely have a more prominent role in future assessments, projecting the evolution of recovery work and defining new stable conditions in the context of a changing environment. - Damage Quantification
Climate change influences how ecosystems respond to contamination. For example, increased temperatures can accelerate the breakdown of pollutants but may also exacerbate their toxicity. Warmer waters, for instance, may heighten the toxicity of certain chemicals to aquatic life. Additionally, shifting species distributions mean that some organisms traditionally used as indicators of ecosystem health may no longer be present in affected areas. To account for these changes, NRDA specialists must pay close attention to signs of changing habitats and biomes, which, in turn, may suggest shifts in biodiversity and wildlife populations. For some species, restoration could be short-lived regardless of the effort invested. - Restoration Planning and Effectiveness
Restoration efforts must be resilient to future climate conditions. If a wetland restoration project is planned in an area likely to be submerged due to rising sea levels, investing in wetland restoration may be an unwise choice and not sustainable in the long term. Similarly, replanting forests without considering changing temperature and precipitation patterns could result in poor survival rates. Climate projections can help NRDA specialists design restoration projects that enhance ecosystem resilience and adapt to the uncertainties posed by climate change. - Long-Term Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Climate change will necessitate a shift toward adaptive management in NRDAs. Restoration projects must be continuously monitored. Strategies should be adjusted as environmental conditions change. This means using remote sensing technology, climate-informed ecological indicators, and flexible management frameworks to track progress and modify restoration efforts accordingly.
