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Using Nature to Address Flooding - Naturally Resilient Communities Website
April 6, 2017
The Using Nature to Address Flooding website provides a guide of nature-based solutions for managing coastal, riverine, and urban stormwater flooding. The site includes case studies of projects from across the country to help communities in adaptive planning for flooding by identifying with successfully implemented nature-based solutions.
Resource Category: Solutions
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Adapting Forests to Climate Change
April 5, 2017
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has produced a 13-page peer-reviewed paper that outlines adaptation strategies that California land owners can take to sustain their forests' value while facing climate change impacts. The report provides specific recommendations for care of three common types of forest from across California, including: Mixed Conifer, Oak Woodlands, and Coastal Redwood Forests. The focal climate impacts addressed are Fire, Moisture Stress, and Insects and Disease, which are detailed for each forest type - along with some indicators of adaptability.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Adrienne Marshall, Susie Kocher, Amber Kerr, Peter Stine
Resource Category: Solutions
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Floodplain Buyouts: An Action Guide for Local Governments on How to Maximize Community Benefits, Habitat Connectivity, and Resilience
April 2017
This Action Guide is designed to support local decision makers in utilizing hazard mitigation buyouts to reduce flood hazards, while supporting habitat connectivity and resilience on these lands. The report describes the floodplain acquisition process, why to manage acquisitions to improve habitats, and how to leverage the potential ecological and social value of properties to improve climate resilience.
Resource Category: Solutions
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Life-Cycle Assessment and Co-Benefits of Cool Pavements
April 2017
Prepared for the California Air Resources Board and the California Environmental Protection Agency, this report describes the development of a “cool” pavement life-cycle assessment (pLCA) tool. The tool was created to help local officials in California cities to evaluate the environmental impacts of alternative pavement types - from extraction of materials through construction and use to removal and disposal or recycling of materials. This study aims to help California cities adopt pavement management strategies that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Resource Category: Solutions
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Essential Capacities for Urban Climate Adaptation
March 2017
The Innovation Network for Communities’ Essential Capacities for Urban Climate Adaptation report provides a review of the promising practices in urban adaptation, a summary of recent advances in the field, and a roadmap for communities to continue advancing adaptation practices.
Resource Category: Solutions
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Flood Protection Pay-Offs: A Local Government Guide to the Community Rating System
March 2017
This comprehensive guide to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is compiled by Wetlands Watch. The NFIP CRS program provides flood insurance discounts, of up to 45%, to constituents within a localities where local governments pursue activities that mitigate flood risks. The guide is meant to help local governments determine which practices may earn credit under the CRS program, what adjustments they may need to make to receive credit, and if funding opportunities are available to assist local governments in meeting credit requirements.
Author or Affiliated User: Mary-Carson Stiff
Resource Category: Solutions
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Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Policy 5408: Addressing the Risks of Climate Change
March 10, 2017
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) established a policy in March of 2017 stating that WDFW will manage its operations and assets so as to better understand, mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The policy provides guidance for managing risks to agency investments due to climate impacts, such as upgrades to agency infrastructure to be more climate ready, and investing in land acquisitions that support ecosystem resilience. WDFW states that this policy demonstrates their leadership on the issue of climate change - specifically as they are integrating the science necessary to understand climate risks, proactively responding to those risks, and reducing their own carbon footprint.
Resource Category: Solutions
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How Baltimore is using the Sustainable Development Goals to make a more just city
March 9, 2017
The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by world leaders in 2015 to create collaborative partnerships across and between countries and communities to achieve objectives around economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. In 2015, as part of the USA Sustainable Cities Initiative (USA-SCI) program, the City of Baltimore, Maryland was selected as one of three U.S. cities to pilot the implementation of the 17 UN SDGs.
Resource Category: Solutions
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Louisville, Kentucky Cool Roof Rebates
March 2017
In 2016, the Louisville Office of Sustainability commissioned a study from Georgia Tech’s Urban Climate Lab to map the hottest areas of the city. The study revealed that not only was Louisville’s urban heat island one of the most severe in the nation, but the hottest areas of the city were, also where the most vulnerable frontline communities were located. The study recommended a variety of interventions, including policies promoting cool surfaces, increased vegetation, and energy efficiency strategies, with each of the interventions combining to be greater than the sum of each when deployed in the same area. One of the interventions that Louisville implemented was a rebate for cool roofs that property owners installed on their buildings. In order to ensure that some of the voluntary funding was allocated for low-income, more vulnerable areas, the office designated 70% of the funding to go to neighborhoods identified in the study as having the most severe heat islands. While rebates can be difficult for low-income property owners, the techniques used to target the program to areas of the highest need can be replicated in other places for grants or no-interest loans. The program was funded through a partnership with Louisville’s energy utility.
Resource Category: Solutions
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2016 Resilient Cities Summit Report - Solutions for Sustainable Land Use
2017
The National League of Cities, Urban Land Institute, and U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) hosted the second Resilient Cities Summit in 2016 which convened mayors, senior city officials, and experts in sustainable development, finance, land use, real estate, and infrastructure. Focused on how cities can be more resilient, the purpose of this summit was to offer participants access to land use tools and resources to advance resilience in their cities. The report includes many examples of resilient cities and offers related resources.
Resource Category: Solutions
