Adapting to the impacts of human-caused climate change is a major challenge facing cities around the world. More than 80% of the United States’ population and 50% of the world’s live in cities, many of which are in especially vulnerable coastal areas.
Cities Should Start Small When Adapting to Climate Change
According to a study of 200 U.S. city plans.
November 09, 2017
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Summary.
The growing impact of climate change on the world’s cities is clear. But what’s not so obvious is what the best way is for municipal leaders to address these challenges. In this piece, the authors describe a recent study of 200 U.S. city plans, which found that narrow-scope plans are more effective than broad-scope ones. They suggest that this may be because these plans take advantage of land use planning, which many cities underutilize. Land use planning steers development out of hazard areas while preserving natural landscape features, like wetlands that store floodwater, as the most promising way to reduce most long-term risks. While plans that are broad in scope may sound appealing, research suggests that they’re not likely to be as effective as a more targeted, small-scale approach.