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Cities Preparing for Climate Change. Jennifer Penney, Clean Air Partnership Multi State Working Group Climate Change Workshop Madison, Wisconsin, June 19, 2007. Adapting to Climate Change in Toronto.
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Cities Preparing for Climate Change Jennifer Penney, Clean Air Partnership Multi State Working Group Climate Change Workshop Madison, Wisconsin, June 19, 2007
Adapting to Climate Change in Toronto • 2 year research & activation project to get the City of Toronto on the road to climate change adaptation
Involved • 4 research reports • A Scan of Climate Change Impacts on Toronto • Cities Preparing for Climate Change • Climate Change Adaptation Options for Toronto’s Urban Forest • Time to Tackle Toronto’s Warming • 2 workshops with City of Toronto staff
Cities Preparing for Climate Change • Case studies of six cities/urban regions • Lessons from the experience of early adapters • Developed a framework for adaptation by urban governments
London New York Boston Halifax Vancouver Seattle/King County Cities/Regions Studied
Chosen Because • Relevance for Toronto • Impacts assessments done • Appeared to have taken leadership on the adaptation agenda
Research Process • Attended major adaptation conferences • Reviewed literature • Conducted internet search • Arranged visits to selected cities & conducted interviews with key informants • Gathered further information • Sought a framework for analyzing collected data
Adaptation Leaders • Created public awareness & stakeholder engagement strategies • Undertook climate impacts assessment • Assessed adaptation options & review current activities • Have begun to implement adaptation strategies
Awareness & Engagement • Building awareness of climate impacts in public & stakeholders an essential step • Al Gore has made this easier • However, focus remains on reducing emissions rather than adaptation
Awareness Tools Found • Dedicated websites (Halifax, London, NYC) • Newsletters (Halifax) • Workshops & conferences (London, NYC, Boston, King County) • Press conferences (London, King County) • Maps, video animations (NYC, Boston, Halifax)
Public Awareness Leader: Halifax Regional Municipality • Climate SMART webpage with: • Primer on climate change • Fact sheets on climate change impacts • Guide to preparing for weather emergencies • Climate change information in almost every issue of Naturally Green, a quarterly newsletter distributed to all households
Lessons • Commitment to reducing ghg’s does not translate directly into adaptation action • Visual presentation of information is effective • Analysis of extreme events for economic & human costs is a vital awareness tool
Stakeholder Awareness & Engagement in Adaptation Processes • Stakeholders possess critical knowledge • Stakeholders will be more supportive of action if engaged in assessment & options analysis • Key stakeholders include local government staff, transportation authorities, utilities, conservation authorities & others
Stakeholder Engagement Processes • London Climate Change Partnership • Metro East Coast Assessment • ClimAdapt Network in Halifax • Stakeholder Advisory Group in Metropolitan Boston area • King County Global Warming Preparedness Team
Stakeholder Awareness & Engagement:London, New York • Greater London Authority: • 100+ presentations & workshops with staff in departments & agencies that need to take climate change into account • NYC Department of Environmental Protection: • Workshops with each of 7 divisions responsible for water & wastewater management
Workshops Typically Include: • Presentation on the science of climate change • Regional climate projections • Potential impacts • Initial discussion of adaptation options & strategies
Stakeholder Awareness & Engagement:King County • High profile conference with 700 participants, 60% from local, regional & state government (UW Climate Impacts Group holds regular meetings with water managers)
Lessons • Engagement of stakeholders often begins with an event to raise awareness • A plan for ongoing engagement is necessary • Mid-level staff are the workhorses • Regular communications & meetings required for sustained engagement • Processes focused on technical modeling will reduce engagement • Researcher-led processes often end when funding ceases
Impact Scans & Assessments • The best assessments involve: • Analysis of current conditions & stressors • Review of historical climate trends • Regional climate change projections • Analysis of likely impacts by sector
Coastal systems Water & wastewater Energy Transportation Buildings Ecosystems Health (heat, air quality, infectious diseases) Social impacts, etc. Most Took Sectoral Approach
Impacts Assessment Approaches:New York • Led by Columbia researchers • Undertook in-depth studies of specific vulnerable sectors, with stakeholder groups from each sector
Impacts Assessment Approaches:Boston • Done by university researchers • Cost estimates of three scenarios for different sectors: • “Ride it out” – business as usual • “Build your way out” – fortification of existing systems to reduce damage • “Green” adaptation – alter the organization & structure of urban systems to make them less vulnerable
Impacts Assessment Approaches:Halifax • Classic risk assessment approach
Lessons • Several valid options for analyzing impacts • Experienced climate & sectoral researchers essential for credible assessment • Stakeholder involvement helps produce usable reports • Visual & graphic information easier for decision-makers to use • Credible information on costs of inaction may provide a spur to adaptation
Identifying Adaptation Options • Initial analyses of options for the six cities tended to be simple & generic • NYC, Seattle & King County have developed more in-depth analysis of adaptation options for key areas of impact • Many adaptation options are simply ramped-up solutions to existing problems
Precursors for Adaptation Action • Education & capacity building, e.g. • Education for the general public on the risks of building in coastal areas vulnerable to sea level rise (New York MEC Assessment) • Research and monitoring, e.g. • High resolution topographical mapping to better identify areas at risk from flooding (Halifax)
Adaptation Options from More Preventive to More Reactive • Interventions to reduce pressures on urban systems vulnerable to climate change, e.g. • Energy conservation programs to reduce peak loads & limit risk of blackouts (London)
Adaptation Options that Increase Resiliency • Interventions to increase resilience of urban systems in face of extreme weather, e.g. • Diversified local sources of electricity to reduce dependence on centralized generation & vulnerable transmission lines (Vancouver) • Home elevation program to protect houses in flood zones (King County)
More Reactive Adaptation Options • Creation of buffer zones or relocation to protect vulnerable systems, e.g. • Green zones/parks in flood-prone areas for flood management (London) • Relocation of vulnerable transportation infrastructure (Halifax) • Fortification of vulnerable structures & systems, e.g. • More onerous requirements for bridges, stormwater infrastructure (Boston)
Adaptation Options that Reduce Harm • Forecasting and early warning systems, e.g. • Public warnings about how to protect against vector-borne diseases (Halifax) • Strengthening emergency response systems, e.g. • Alternative transportation route planning (Boston)
Towards a More Systematic Analysis of Adaptation Options • Systematic reviews of options and strategies remain to be done, though some examples are surfacing • Adapting to Climate Change: Lessons for London investigated strategies of more than 20 cities to cope with heat, flooding & water shortages
Taking Action • Three main aspects: • Establish “institutional mechanisms” • Formulate adaptation policies • Incorporate adaptation into projects & programs
Institutional Mechanisms • Ongoing processes that bring together stakeholders in local government & related organizations to learn & plan • Create guides and templates for integrating climate impacts & adaptation into decision-making • Needs dedicated staff & resources
Examples of Institutional Mechanisms Seen • Broad-based adaptation-specific stakeholder group (London) • Internal mitigation-adaptation action team (King County) • Combined team of outside researchers & internal departmental team (NYC DEP) • Private network of adaptation consultants working with environmental staff (Halifax)
Institutional MechanismsLondon • London Climate Change Partnership, 2001 • 15-20 agencies • Chaired by high-profile businessman • Produces in-depth reports • Comments on government plans • Engages the media • Also appointed full time-officer to do “inreach” & develop London Adaptation Plan
Formulation of Policies • Include adaptation goals in overarching policies (London, King County, New York?) • Developing broad-scale adaptation plans – similar to mitigation planning (London, King County) • Integrating adaptation into individual departmental & agency plans & programs (New York, Seattle, Vancouver)
Mitigation & adaptation both explicitly integrated in the Revised London Plan (2006) “The Mayor will and other agencies should promote the most effective adaptation to climate change, including: - minimizing overheating and contribution to heat island effects - minimizing solar gain in summer - contributing to reducing flood risk including applying principles of sustainable urban drainage.” Example: The London Plan
Example: King County • Updating the King County Comprehensive Plan to address climate impacts on water resources, erosion & landslide hazards & fish & wildlife • Updating Shoreline Master plan to incorporate consideration of climate impacts
Getting Down to Action • Relocating water treatment plant in Boston Harbor to account for sea-level rise • London Transport’s Tunnel Cooling Program (pilot projects) • New York’s Greening the Bronx Quickstart Program • King County’s Flood Buyout & Home Elevation Programs
Barriers to Adaptation Action • Weak understanding of impacts • Uncertainty about timing & extent of impacts • Using past conditions to guide decisions • Focus on short-term costs of adaptation rather than long-term costs of business as usual • Difficulty getting attention of politicians • Difficulties getting some stakeholders to the table • Problems coordinating across departments and levels of government • Inadequate & one-off resources
Supports forAdaptation • Knowledgeable & committed political or executive champions • Creation of specific interagency or interdepartmental organization • Collaboration of strong community of researchers • Allocation of human & financial resources • Strong communications & outreach • Stakeholder engagement strategy
For Full Report www.cleanairpartnership.org