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Building Common Ground on Climate Change: A process in the Twin Cities Area Transportation Study (TwinCATS). Gautam Mani, Transportation Planner, SWMPC. Outline. Grant process First public meeting and challenges Lessons learned and second public meeting Final Report
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Building Common Ground on Climate Change:A process in the Twin Cities Area Transportation Study (TwinCATS) Gautam Mani, Transportation Planner, SWMPC
Outline • Grant process • First public meeting and challenges • Lessons learned and second public meeting • Final Report • Emerging tools and next steps
Process Aug. ‘13 Jun. ‘13 Jun. ‘13 Feb./May ‘13 Sept. ‘12
Part of a National network of regional centers focused on climate change adaptation Climatologists, social scientists, outreach specialists GLISA funded MSU project team to work with two Michigan communities for one year
Why the TwinCATS Area ? • Coastal Location • Strong Tourism and Agricultural Sectors • Potential Vulnerability to Major Precipitation Events
Wide-Ranging Opinions Expressed • “One of the greatest risks is that planners will overreact, over-regulate and infringe on industrial liberties.” • “Our time as a species is almost over, as feedback loops wreak havoc with everything we depend on- water, air, soils, stability, etc.” • “An opportunity for increased localism and better cooperation between individuals, along with better health outcomes.”
Lessons learned • Better establish what TwinCATS/SWMPC do and the role that climate change plays (Read: Take control of process). • More time needed for members of the public to engage with substantive • Address personal attacks by “disarming with data”
Preparation for the Second Meeting
Meeting #2: Framing the Issue Geneva Township. Photo Source: FOX17 News. Photo source: Don Campbell/ Herald Palladium Staff 2013
Next Steps for the MPO • Overlay vulnerable areas map layers with other features (i.e. schools, planned transit fixed routes, development footprint) • Perform feasibility analysis for transportation best practices • Develop project evaluation criteria (i.e. provisions for particularly vulnerable populations, floodplain development rationale, etc.)
Emerging Tools http://graham.umich.edu/glaac/great-lakes-atlas
Emerging Tools http://www.resilientmonroe.org/
Emerging Tools http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/newsletter/2013/01/getting_real_about_climate_change.html
Thank you! • Questions? • Gautam Mani manig@swmpc.org 269-925-1137 x 24