2017 urbanism summit 4b | climate & resiliency: local perspectives for a global challenge
TRANSCRIPT
Climate & Resiliency:Local Perspectives for a Global Challenge
2017 CNU NE SummitBringing New Urbanism to Scale
March 31, 2017
WHO WE ARE:
Jonathan Ford, PE – moderator Horsley Witten Group
Senior Project Manager – Community Design
Stephanie Zurek, AIAUnion Studio
Associate
Leah BambergerCity of Providence
Director of Sustainability
Anne Tate, AIARhode Island School of Design
Professor of Architecture
ecoRI News & NOAA Technical Report NOS CO-OPS 083, January, 2017
New York Times, March 21, 2017 & Yale Program on Climate Communication
New York Times, March 21, 2017 & Yale Program on Climate Communication
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Starting the conversation: a case study from Newport, RI
Photo: Caroline Goddard
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Photo: onne van der wal
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Howe, P., Mildenberger, M., Marlon, J., & Leiserowitz, A. (2015) “Geographic variation in opinions on climate change at state and local scales in the USA,” Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2583.
http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us-2016/
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• What are current environmental conditions?
• What are environmental projections?
• Where are the social, economic, environmental and infrastructure vulnerabilities?
• What are the options – short-term, medium-term and long-term?
• How do we effectively weigh those options?
• What resources are available and how should they be allocated?
• Who decides?
• Changes will affect communities – very personal and emotional decision-making process
In communities across the country, we have large, sticky conversations ahead of us:
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
74 Bridge Street Case Study
The Point, Newport, RI
The Point
Downtown Newport
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• Current environmental conditions:
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
The Point
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGECLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Affected areas of projected sea level rise: 1’, 3’, 5’ - Newport, RI
Rendering: Markley Boyer
• Environmental projections:The Point
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• Social, economic, environmental and infrastructure vulnerabilities?
Social: homes, livelihoods, cultural heritage
Environmental: Changes in local species and habitats
Economic: Flood insurance, loss of tax base
Infrastructure: Stormwater system, Tide gates
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• What are the options?
Sea level rise Stormwater
Design Guidelines
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• How do we effectively weigh the options?
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
City
Resid
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Engi
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Historic
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• What resources are available and how should they be allocated?
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
• Who decides?
Photo: F. Mullin
CLIMATE AND RESILIENCY: LOCAL INSIGHTS FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Unlike infrastructure and planning efforts that we have seen in the past, this is not a singular policy decision. It must involve everyone – at the national, state and local level; but, most importantly citizens must get on board with:
• Understanding climate change basic facts/science
• Understanding local implications of climate change (flooding, sea level rise, increased temperatures, etc)
• Problem-solving efforts
• Empower communities with knowledge and decision-making tools
Photo: C. Goddard
Mayor Jorge O. ElorzaLeah Bamberger, Director of Sustainability
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30
Sustainable Providence
2014
Waste
Energy
Food
Water
Transportation
Land Use & Development
84%
1% 5%
1%6%
1% 2% 1%
White
White | Two or more races
Two or more races
Black or African American | American Indianand Alaska Native
Black or African American
Asian | Two or more races
Asian
American Indian and Alaska Native | Two ormore races
ResilientPVD Lab - Race Demographics
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ResilientPVD Lab Recommendations
• Establish a people of color led community Advisory Committee
• Implement a Race and Social Justice screen
• Develop an Equitable Engagement Checklist
• Fund Community organizations to lead engagement processes
Meanwhile…
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Update sustainability plan with racial equity
lens
Get community’s recommendations for a
process to incorporate racial equity
Co-create a community-driven process
Build stronger relationships
Equity in Sustainability Initiative
Racial & Environmental Justice Committee Tasks
• Identify key concerns, issues and needs of the community
• Base-building• Provide
recommendations for a long-term process and structure
Racial and Environmental Justice Committee Members
• 10 community members– 2 Southside
– 1 West End– 1 North End– Racial justice– Environmental justice– Indigenous– Low-income– Refugee/Immigrant – Education/Youth
• 5 municipal representatives – Sustainability– Mayor’s Office / Policy– Community Development– Healthy Communities – Arts, Culture, & Tourism
Challenges and Lessons Learned
• “Change happens at the pace of trust”
• “Control is the opposite of trust”
• Inside/outside strategy
• Stay focused on long-term goals
• Value of a third party consultant
• Language, cultural, and economic barriers persist
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Early Impacts and Results• High interest in this work
• New partnerships and connections
• Approach grant applications and program and policy development differently
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What’s Next?• Continue to build
relationships between the City and community
• Initiate larger process to amend current sustainability plan to include racial equity lens
• Begin implementation of REJC recommendations
• Continue to support base-building and community organizing
• Transfer lessons learned from this initiative across City departments
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Thank You!
SustainPVD.org
Facebook.com/SustainPVD
Twitter.com/Sustain_PVD
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Contact Us
Jonathan Ford, PE Anne Tate, [email protected] [email protected]
Leah Bamberger Stephanie Zurek, [email protected] [email protected]
COURAGEOUS COMMUNITIES
Jonathan Ford, PE
Horsley Witten Group
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
INUNDATION HT + 2’ SLR + 100-Year EventSVR Design
Bath, Maine AIA DART
SVR Design
Bath, Maine AIA DART
FRAMEWORK
RESILIENCY GreenBath
• Build Greenways:
Work with water – weave green/blue fingers into downtown
• Allow migration:
Plan new wetland migration zones for SLR, shoreline retreat
• Treat runoff:
Green Infrastructure to naturally filter runoff
•Harden edge:
Elevate buildings & armor edge for storm surge
Image: Kevin Robert Perry
SVR DesignMike Davis, FAIA, Bergmeyer
Mike Davis, FAIA, Bergmeyer
Mike Davis, FAIA, Bergmeyer