Urban Ocean Lab’s Post

✍ Today, we're publishing a new policy memo to support proactive, justice-centered climate-driven relocation in U.S. coastal cities. In the face of worsening climate impacts like sea level rise, erosion, and storm surge, the intentional movement of people away from climate-vulnerable areas to more resilient neighborhoods will be necessary to provide lasting safety for coastal residents. By leveraging federal resources and working directly with impacted communities, coastal cities have an opportunity to shape an equitable and innovative national framework for climate-driven relocation. The principles and recommendations in our memo will help ensure the wellbeing of communities who will need to leave the floodplain in the decades to come. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/dpgbmD9u

In 2023 alone, more than 3 MILLION people were displaced by natural disasters. For a sense of scale, that is like the entire Mississippi, Kansas, or Arkansas populations moving to a different state. Of these disasters, 45% were from hurricanes and 23% by floods. As these and other climate impacts intensify, we must begin planning for the intentional relocation of people away from climate-vulnerable areas to more resilient and stable neighborhoods. Our friends at the Urban Ocean Lab have outlined recommendations to help coastal cities ensure that future relocation processes are equitable and provide lasting safety for their residents.

➡️ ENVISION Credits CR2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 deal with risk and resilience. Miami-Dade County’s Tamiami Station Park-and-Ride/Bus Terminal Facility, East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, and Los Angeles River Way, San Fernando Valley Completion Project (Vanalden to Balboa) are just three recent examples of Envision-awarded projects with an important climate resilience dimension. All three of them are located in coastal cities, and in addition to plans and actions at the project level, they reference initiatives at the municipal/county level. 🌊There’s a lot that can be done to decrease climate vulnerability in coastal cities. To date, 34% of U.S. coastal cities currently have climate action plans, according to data from Urban Ocean Lab and Columbia University (Source: https://lnkd.in/gejDYnuF)

In a recent report, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources highlights #ClimateChange challenges on the Great Lakes. The state's 3,000-mile coastline is always changing due to high and low water levels, wind, ice, and human activities. The record high water levels in the Great Lakes in 2019-20 led to significant property damage, highlighting the unpredictability of environmental changes exacerbated by climate change. A study using advanced climate and hydrodynamic models is being conducted to assess how future conditions may impact coastal resilience. The study will evaluate stressors such as changing precipitation patterns, lake level fluctuations, temperatures, and wind and wave action. The focus is on understanding communities, infrastructure, and habitat vulnerabilities along the Great Lakes coast. All eight Great Lakes states are collaborating on this planning project, sharing the nonfederal cost of implementing the study. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Q6Bv4f #sbndetroit #sustainablebusinessnetwork #newyear #reflection #sustainablebusinessnetworkdetroit #sustainablebusiness #environmentaljustice #sustainability #michigan #naturalresources #greatlakes #climatechange #coastalerosion #environment #resilience #climateadaptation #community #sustainability #climateimpact #coastalmanagement

📢 #OutNow We are pleased to present the monthly edition of #IRADe’s Research Newsletter (IRN), covering updates for March 2024. This newsletter reaffirms our steadfast dedication to promote sustainable energy transition, enhance climate resilience, and advocate for innovative clean energy solutions. Our recent workshops and consultations have been pivotal in shaping inclusive policies and strategies for tackling pressing challenges. The proceedings from the National Workshop on “Integrating Vulnerable Community Inputs for Inclusive Policy Design and Action for Urban Flooding” provide a comprehensive overview of the dialogue among key stakeholders, policymakers, and experts. This dialogue emphasised the urgent need for community-led approaches in urban flood management, stressing the importance of tailored policy frameworks and holistic ecosystem considerations. Notably, we hosted Ms. Yamini Mishra, Country Director of the MacArthur Foundation, underlining a significant moment in our continuous collaboration. IRADe’s end-of-the-year governing council meeting was also held this month, providing a forum for reflection, strategising, and charting the course for the year ahead. We extend our gratitude to our readers, partners, and stakeholders for their unwavering support. As we navigate the complex challenges ahead, we remain dedicated to driving impactful research, fostering meaningful collaborations, and advocating for transformative policies toward a more sustainable future. 🔗 https://shorturl.at/qFIZ1 Jyoti Parikh #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #UrbanFlooding #Newsletter #MarchIssue

Are you doing research examining the intersection of climate, health, and cities? Consider submitting a paper to this special issue of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy. JCCPE publishes timely, evidence-based research that contributes to the urban climate agenda and supports governmental policy towards an equitable and resilient world. It aims to empower mayors, policymakers, and urban practitioners with analysis, language, policies, and examples of concrete actions that reinvent and reinvigorate the idea of effective, purposeful government-led action and supported by C40 Cities and the C40 Center for City Climate Policy and Economy. https://lnkd.in/gSYHCXK2

Our partner IHS, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam wrote an article about the barriers and drivers faced by Urban Living Labs in terms of climate resilience. Read it to find out what are the common barriers and drivers for Coastal City Living Labs of the SCORE - Smart Control of the Climate Resilience in European Coastal Cities project, as well as the specific differences that require tailored-made solutions! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dvXV3vhN #ClimateResilience #CCCLL #ClimateAdaptation #LivingLabs

【Bridging the Implementation Gap: A Holistic Approach to Urban Climate Governance】 Full article: https://lnkd.in/gQG_uhME (Authored by Benito De Ruschi, et al., from Shanghai Jiaotong University, China.) The "#implementation_gap" refers to the significant difference between the number of effective methods available to tackle these problems and the few cities where they have been implemented to some extent. This study focuses on the problem of the implementation gap in the urban climate spectrum, which refers to the disparity between the solutions available to solve weather-related problems and the scarce implementation of these solutions. #Urban_Heat_Island #Climate_Maps #Urban_Governance #Urban_Planning 

#scientists rock! "Right now, coastal cities across the country are dealing with #information #deficits: More than half of U.S. #coastal #communities #underestimate #sea #level #rise, and many cities aren’t using the latest science in their #risk #assessments. This open-access #tool is packed with critical resources that can help close this knowledge gap."

How can we use locally-led planning to build climate #resilience in #urban informal settlements? 🛠️ 🌎 This guide by the Global Center on Adaptation discusses key #practices, #methodologies and practical considerations for translating concepts to your context ⬇️