Climate adaptation

Despite the daunting threat posed by COVID-19, the State of New York is not putting climate resiliency on the backburner. A proposed $3 billion bond measure titled “Restore Mother Nature” highlights that - despite the current health and economic challenges being faced by COVID-19 -  lawmakers are willing to prepare for changing climate conditions by laying the groundwork for long-term investments in resiliency. 

An article posted today in CalMatters highlights an issue that cities along California's coast must address as sea levels continue to rise: how can vulnerable structures be re-located to safer ground? "Managed retreat", or the purposeful and planned re-location of people and infrastructure away from the shoreline, is one of the scenarios that coastal communities must plan and prepare for. 

An article today in the Architect's Newspaper highlights Hassell's ongoing work in South San Francisco's Colma Creek, on a concept that emerged from the Resilient by Design: Bay Area Challenge and later received a Caltrans SB1 Adaptation Planning grant, in partnership with BARC. The project, known as 'Collect and Connect', focuses on re-establishing the connection between Colma Creek and the Bay by re-designing creeks and streets as green corridors for water management and community use, improving flood resiliency while restoring community connectedness.

A new special adaptation issue of San Francisco Estuary News, released today, explores climate adaptation projects in 12 counties around the Bay Area and the Delta. The issue highlights innovative resiliency projects happening around the region, including several that BARC has been deeply involved in, including State Route 37, the Dumbarton Bridge, Colma Creek in South San Francisco, and in North Richmond.

An article in the New York Times today highlights how climate change is laying bare the limitations of our disaster response institutions, including FEMA, in responding to more frequent and severe natural disasters caused by climate change. This week alone, Hurricane Isaias and the Apple Fire are simultaneously occurring on opposite coasts.

An article in the New York Times highlights the growing acceptance of planned relocation, also known as "managed retreat",  strategies to move homes out of harm's way amid rising sea levels and more frequent and severe hurricanes and storms.

An article in the New York Times today highlights new research showing that Americans support government action to restrict development in climate-threatened flood and fire zones -- in some cases, the policies that Americans support are far more stringent than what local governments are currently willing to pursue. 

An article posted today in the New York Times highlights the sobering climate effects that have come to the fore in 2020, including massive wildfires that turned skies orange in the Bay Area and 130 degree Fahrenheit temperatures in Death Valley-- the highest ever recorded on Earth.