Abstract
This paper explores the formal planning processes used by cities and local governments to adapt to and mitigate the hazards associated with current climate variability and expected climate change. Increased rates of mortality and morbidity due to summertime heat are a significant problem in New York City (NYC) and for many cities around the world, and are expected to increase with a warming climate. Populations may be at increased risk because of greater heat exposure—for example, due to the urban heat island (UHI)—or by virtue of demographic, social, or medical risk factors. Those at greater risk for heat-related health impacts in American cities include the elderly, low-income and communities of color, those with limited mobility and little social contact, those with pre-existing health conditions, and those lacking access to public facilities and public transportation. A case study describes the initial work of the NYC Climate Adaptation Task Force and the formal planning undertaken by the city to prevent heat-related health effects from excessive summertime heat. A community-based adaptation planning process may help address the social justice dimension of the impacts of extreme events and climate change in NYC while increasing the effectiveness of adaptive programs and policies. This paper represents primary research into the climate adaptation strategies of municipalities and could be useful for a range of urban actors.
Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others.
Winston Churchill, 1947.
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Notes
- 1.
Although the use of air conditioning (AC) may pose a conflict between the goals of adaptation and carbon mitigation, two main points should be acknowledged in this regard; first, that access to AC saves lives during extreme summertime heat and, second, that whenever possible, adaptation measures that also are mitigative are the best approach. With regard to AC, the amount of electricity used by senior citizens during extremely hot days in New York City could possibly be more than compensated for by the use of several energy efficiency measures; for example, through the reduction of office air conditioning during heat events. Further research is needed on the energy savings that might accrue from small changes in air-conditioned indoor temperatures during heat events, and the deployment of other efficiency and green building measures.
- 2.
Energy companies include Con Edison, Astoria Energy LLC, CSX, NRG Energy, National Grid, Suez Energy NA, USPowerGen, and TransCanada. Communication companies include Cablevision, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.
- 3.
The Climate Justice Policy Recommendations produced by the EJ Leadership Forum in 2009 focus on public health as a central component of climate mitigation and adaptation, and call for public “funding for training and placement for health professionals in low-income communities of color” (WEACT 2009, p. 8).
- 4.
PlaNYC announced in 2007 that a neighborhood-based planning effort is a priority for the city’s climate adaptation efforts. In writing about these topics, we note that it is a quickly evolving arena, as several organizations and agencies are planning increased community outreach on climate adaptation and mitigation as of the writing of this chapter in spring 2010.
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This research was supported under a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) Grant Number CD300430. The contents of this chapter are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC or ASPH, or any government agency.
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Rosenthal, J.K., Brechwald, D. (2013). Climate Adaptive Planning for Preventing Heat-related Health Impacts in New York City. In: Knieling, J., Leal Filho, W. (eds) Climate Change Governance. Climate Change Management. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29831-8_13
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