Change public zoning laws to not allow new development in low coastal zones or near rivers or creeks at risk from sea level rise or flooding.

Transcription

1 Sea Level Rise and Floods: Melting polar ice significantly raise sea levels; shifting rain patterns cause floods. Risk factors Your community is next to the ocean or a bay, or on a floodplain. Your home or workplace is a next to the ocean or a bay, or on a floodplain. You are invested in property next to the ocean or a bay, or on a floodplain. Local Impacts Adaptation Needs Jobs Created Potential Clients Buildings prone to sea level rise or floods lose their value. Families and businesses may need to move, and lose homes and investments. Change public zoning laws to not allow new development in low coastal zones or near rivers or creeks at risk from sea level rise or flooding. - Map makers Raise insurance rates for coast-side or floodplain property to reflect risk of loss. - Insurance adjustors Insurance industry Establish a mechanism to aid relocation of low and middle-income families losing primary residence. - Real estate financiers, real estate lenders Re-purpose existing buildings or build new ones in safer locations, especially affordable housing. - Green architects - Real estate agents Families, businesses, housing agencies Flooding of buildings and public infrastructure such as roads, railway, and airports impact local economy. Restore wetlands and watersheds to protect infrastructure naturally and provide wildlife habitat. - Hydrologists - Wetland restoration - Foresters - Wildlife biologists - Civil engineers Construct sea walls or levies to protect infrastructure, or move infrastructure to a safer location. - Civil engineers 1

2 Heat Waves: Changing weather patterns create unprecedented high temperatures in your community. Your home or workplace gets very hot or cold. You have health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or are very old or young. You have difficulty traveling to a cooler location due to limited mobility. Your job requires working outside, and you have little control over your work conditions. Local Impacts Adaptation Needs Examples of Jobs Potential Clients Residents suffer from heat waves, especially those with asthma due to worsened air quality. Make cities cooler by planting trees to shade buildings, sidewalks, and streets. Design and equip buildings with energy efficient cooling methods as needed. - Tree nurseries - Tree planting crews - Energy efficiency and green building services Families, neighborhood groups, local Designate accessible buildings as cooling centers open to all during hot hours. Equip with temperature control, air filtration, food, and transportation. - Air conditioning and filtration installers - Mobile food providers - Transportation services Public health agencies and local Enforce special air quality controls and fund free public transportation on hot days with poor air quality. - Air quality specialists - Transit workers Pubic health and transit agencies People in poor health and with limited mobility can die in dangerously hot temperatures, and may not be able to travel to a cooling center. Identify at-risk households. Install energy efficient temperature control, and a system to check in on residents during heat waves. - Public health outreach - Energy efficiency and green building experts - Concerned neighbors Families, public health and senior agencies, neighborhood groups People working outside (e.g. farm workers, construction, road crews) may be required to continue working under unsafe heat conditions. Work with unions, industry, and OSHA to adjust labor regulations to strengthen safeguards for at-risk workers. Increase enforcement. - Union representatives - Occupational safety experts - Labor lawyers Unions, industry, OSHA, labor relations agencies 2

3 Drought: Unprecedented droughts can raise your water rates and food bills, and impact farm economies. You live in a dry climate. Your community relies on water supplies (wells, creeks, springs) that could run dry. Your community purchases public water supplies from a source that could raise rates. Your household has trouble paying water bills or affording healthy food. Your job or local economy relies on agriculture. Local Impacts Adaptation Needs Examples of Jobs Potential Clients Local and regional droughts reduce or endanger public supplies and ecosystems. Increased water rates can cause economic hardship. Reduce water use and install water efficiency and recycling measures. Diversify water supplies. - Hydrologists/Biologists - Low-water landscapers Households and businesses, water districts, local. Change pricing so those who use more water pay higher rates. Guarantee minimum supply for low-income users. - Water agency staff Water districts, households and businesses Local droughts produce conflict between households or communities that use the same water sources. Create local /regional water user councils to develop fair usage agreements that also maintain local ecosystems. - Hydrologists/Biologists - Mediation services Local and water districts, local residents, community groups Local droughts cause economic hardship for farmers, farm workers, and regional agricultural economies. Install water efficiency measures in agriculture. Diversify rural economies. Ensure disaster zone economic relief reaches farm worker families. services in irrigation - Rural development - Bilingual disaster relief Farms and ranches, rural development agencies, community services groups Drought in any major food-growing region of the world can cause crop failure that raises food prices here. Increase local food security, especially for low-income households. - Community food security specialists Local, public health agencies, food banks 3

4 Economic Impacts: Rising price of oil drives up the cost of transport, food, and other goods through inflation. Your income is low, especially in a region with a high cost of living. You live on a fixed income, without much financial cushion (eg seniors). You rely on driving long distances to work. You work in a luxury industry that uses a lot of oil (eg airlines, tourism, boat/plane sales). Potential Impacts Resulting Local Needs Examples of Jobs Potential Clients Rising oil prices Affordable, fast, and effective public transportation. - Transit operators - Bus/train manufacture - Transit infrastructure construction (rail, BRT) Regional transit agencies Other alternatives to driving: rideshares, walking, biking, commuter shuttles. - Bike shops, bike repair - Rideshare organizing - Construction of sidewalks, bike paths - Shuttle services General public, local, employers, schools Housing near transit, easy commute. - Construction - Green architects Developers, housing organizations Rising food prices Resilient local food systems that can feed everyone in community. Guaranteed access to land and water to produce local public food supplies. - Community food security specialists - Garden supply retail - Farm managers - Irrigation and greywater system installers - Local food processing and distribution General public, public health agencies, schools, institutions, food banks Recession, unemployment Job re-training, adult ed, and new business support services - Job training - Small business support Schools, community colleges, SBA 4

5 Your Community Climate and Energy Adaptation Plan Worksheet (use as many copies as needed) What are the most important adaptation needs you identified for your community? What vulnerable populations especially need these services? (low-income, etc.) Who would take charge of meeting these needs? (city agencies, etc.) Where would they get the money they need to do this?* What additional jobs could this create in your community? *This is literally the million dollar question and it s time to start thinking about it. Who ultimately foots the bill for climate and energy adaptation in your community? Who do you think should? How would you get them to do so? 5