Conference Agenda

Coastal zones, particularly in developing countries, are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including sea-level rise and flooding. Decisions on flood mitigation involve choices among grey infrastructure, green solutions, and hybrid approaches, each with different implications for livelihoods and land use. However, evidence on preferences for flood mitigation measures in developing countries is limited. This study uses a discrete choice experiment to investigate household preferences for flood mitigation in coastal communities of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, a region highly exposed to flooding and dependent on coastal resources. We examine preferences for flood infrastructure types (grey, green, or hybrid), land-use restrictions, and agencies responsible for flood management. Mixed logit and latent class models are used to analyse preferences and preference heterogeneity. In contrast to many studies in developed-country contexts, our results show a significant household preference for grey and hybrid infrastructure over green solutions. We also find support for basic coastal development restrictions and trust in regional institutions, rather than NGOs or a flood committee (comprising regional, local, and NGO representatives), to manage flood protection. We observe significant heterogeneity in preferences across respondents' cultural, occupational, and sociodemographic characteristics. The latent-class model identifies two distinct groups: one that strongly prioritizes flood protection and is less cost-sensitive, and another that is more cost-sensitive but resistant to extensive development restrictions. The findings suggest that public acceptance of flood-mitigation policies in vulnerable coastal regions depends not only on the type of protection provided but also on local livelihoods, cultural factors, and trust in the implementing institutions.