Climate Adaptation and Resilience
1. For the Areas that Can Adapt
Not All Areas Must Retreat:
- Some Can Adapt: With infrastructure investments
- Examples: NYC (build seawalls and elevate infrastructure), California (better forest management, and firebreaks)
2. Coastal Adaptation
Sea Walls & Storm Surge Barriers:
- New York Harbor: $120 billion Sea Gate (protect NYC, NJ from storm surge)
- Like Netherlands' Maeslantkering (successfully protects Rotterdam)
- Miami: Elevate roads, buildings; install pump systems and seawalls
- Gulf Coast: Restore wetlands and barrier islands (natural storm protection)
Elevate Infrastructure:
- Subways, Power Stations, and Water treatment: Raise above flood levels
- New Construction: Require first floor 20+ feet above sea level
Living Shorelines:
- NOT Concrete Slabs: Living oyster reefs, seagrass, kelp forests, and marsh plants
- Absorb wave energy and grow with sea level rise
- Support ecosystems
Cost: $500 billion (20 years and coastal cities)
3. Forest Adaptation
Forest Management:
- Prescribed Burns: Clear underbrush (reduce fuel for wildfires)
- Native Americans did this for millennia, but white settlers stopped it, and now forests are overgrown (way to go, settlers)
- Thinning: Remove small trees and leave large fire-resistant trees
- Firebreaks: Wide cleared areas around communities
Defensible Space:
- Homes in Wildfire Zones: Must have 150-foot defensible space
- Clear vegetation and flammable materials
- Penalties: If don't clear, fined + government clears at the owner's expense
Fire-Resistant Construction:
- New Homes: Non-combustible roofs (metal, tile, not wood shingles)
- Ember-resistant vents and dual-pane windows
- Retrofit Existing: $20 billion program (subsidize retrofits)
Cost: $100 billion (20 years)
4. Flood Adaptation
Restore Wetlands:
- Already Covered in Ecological Restoration: Wetlands absorb floodwaters
- Midwest: Restore 10 million acres of wetlands (Mississippi River basin)
Buy Out Floodplains:
- Stop Rebuilding: In floodplains (repeated disaster cycle)
- Buyouts: Voluntary, relocate residents
- Return to Nature: Floodplains become parks and wildlife habitats
Improve Drainage:
- Urban Flooding: Upgrade storm sewers and green infrastructure
- Green Roofs, Permeable Pavement: Absorb rainwater
Cost: $200 billion (20 years)
5. Heat Adaptation
Cooling Centers:
- Public Buildings: Schools, libraries, and community centers = cooling centers during heat waves
- Free Access: 24/7 during extreme heat
Tree Planting:
- Urban Tree Canopy: Reduce urban heat island effect
- 1 billion Trees: Plant in cities (20 years)
Weatherization:
- Free AC: For low-income households (prevent heat deaths)
- Insulation: Keep homes cool