Campus Directory

Division Physical & Biological Sciences Division

Department/College/Unit Institute of Marine Sciences

Title Associate Research Prof.

Affiliation Faculty

Other UCSC Campus Affiliation Coastal Science & Policy Program

Areas of Expertise Coastal Science
Climate Change
Earth Sciences

Web Site

Primary Office Location Long Marine Lab Ocean Health Building
209

Additional Location(s) US Geological Survey - Coastal and Pacific Center

Mail Stop Long Marine Lab

Biography, Education and Training

Dr. Borja G. Reguero works on climate change, socioeconomic impacts of coastal hazards, and climate resilience and adaptation, with a special focus on nature-based solutions. His research is centered on ocean climate and the coastal physical processes that govern flooding and erosion impacts to assess how ecosystems influence risk. Borja also works on climate solutions such as the use of ecosystems in climate adaptation; risk financing innovations like the reef insurance in Mexico, the first insurance for an ecosystem globally; and coastal planning and sustainability management of coastlines. He develops his work in close partnership with academia and the public and private sector, in the U.S. and internationally. His work has been featured in media, U.S. Congressional briefings, and informed new policy proposals to protect coastlines and coastal infrastructure in the U.S. For this trajectory, Borja received an early-career award from the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Reguero holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Hydraulics and Civil Engineering. He also has training in Coastal and Port Engineering and Applied Economics. Borja currently leads the University of California Multicampus Coastal Resilience and Climate Adaptation Initiative.

Selected Publications

• Reguero, B.G., Griggs, G. (2022) Adaptation to Coastal Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise. Water Reguero, B.G., Storlazzi, C.D., Gibbs, A.E., Shope, J.B., Cole, A.D., Cumming, K.A., Beck, M.W. (2021) The value of US coral reefs for flood risk reduction. Nature Sustainability
• Reguero, B.G., Losada, I.J., Mendez, F.J. (2019) A recent increase in global wave power as a consequence of oceanic warming. Nature Communications (ranked 85th article of similar age in Nature Communications
• Reguero, B.G., Beck, M.W., Schmid, D., Stadtmueller, D., Raepple, J., Schüssele, S., Pfliegner, K. (2019). Financing Coastal Resilience by Combining the Natural Defenses of Coral Reefs and Insurance. Ecological Economics
• Reguero, B.G., Beck, M.W., Bresch, D.N., Calil, J., Meliane, I. (2018). Comparing the cost effectiveness of Nature-Based and Coastal adaptation: a case study from the Gulf Coast of the United States. PLOS ONE 13(4): e0192132  
• Ruckelshaus, M., Reguero, B.G., Arkema, K., Compeán, R.G., Weekes, K., Bailey, A. & Silver, J. (2020) Harnessing new data technologies for nature-based solutions in assessing and managing risk in coastal zones. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 51, 10179