Community / Local

A series of actions were taken to address erosion in the section of coast between the municipalities of Sirolo and Numana, in the region of Le Marche (Italy), in particular for beach nourishment, principally with gravel and small stones. Cliff stabilisation was another part of the actions, as well as the removal of a portion of artificial reef. The approach for this work was established in the region’s Integrated Coastal Area Managed Plan (released in February 2005). Its broader goals included protecting local settlements and tourism. Climate change impacts were recognised but were not a major element of the actions undertaken so far; however, the region intends to make climate change a key focus for future works.

The Special Program on Climate Change2014-2018 (PECC, in Spanish) is one of the planning instruments of the Climate Change General Law (LGCC) and is aligned to the National Development Plan and related programs, as well as to the National Strategy for Climate Change (ENCC), 10-20-40 Vision (ENCC) and to the sector programs of the 14 Secretariats.

When the U.S. pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017, it became clear that leadership from local government, businesses, and civic institutions is needed now more than ever. So Mayor Jackson, along with 400 "Climate Mayors" across the country, re-affirmed our commitment to climate action (see video from 2017).

Click here for Cleveland Climate Action Plan 2018 Update.

Collectively, we've made progress since the first Cleveland Climate Action Plan launched in 2013. We've reduced carbon pollution while growing the economy. Water quality and air quality have continued to improve. The City has been recognized for supporting solar and wind energy. More than 70 miles of bike infrastructure were installed and the bike share system launched (UHBikes). Dozens of organizations launched and are now implementing the Cleveland Tree Plan. The Cleveland Climate Action Fund supported more than 50 resident-led, neighborhood-based projects. And as reported by Destination Cleveland, the number of Clevelanders who would recommend the city as a place to visit has more than doubled.

Despite this positive momentum, we know much work remains to scale up across all focus areas (see image to right), and to ensure those most in need enjoy the benefits of climate action. This CAP update builds off the previous work by firmly establishing a series of cross-cutting priorities: (1) social and racial equity, (2) good jobs, green jobs, (3) resilience to the impacts of climate change, and (4) business leadership.

This plan is about much more than climate change. The actions in this plan are meant to strengthen our economy, clean our environment, and improve the health and wellness of Clevelanders.

This CAP update has also prioritized engagement. A big thanks to the 90+ members of the Climate Action Advisory Committee, the 300 resident leaders who participated in our 12 neighborhood workshops, those contributing to the 200+ comments we received on during our public comment period, and the plan's core team and technical experts: Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, ioby, Brendle Group, Racial Equity Institute, BrownFlynn, Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, and the University at Buffalo. Finally, thanks to our funding partners for their guidance and support, including the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, the George Gund Foundation, and the Cleveland Foundation.

The City of New Bedford and the neighboring Towns of Acushnet and Fairhaven are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise (SLR), especially in the event of a hurricane barrier failure in a storm. The projected interaction between SLR, increased storm intensity, and heavier precipitation is expected to impact the area’s public and private property including associated water quality infrastructure and at-risk populations. A SeaPlan led team, which included RPS ASA and Fuss & O’Neill, modeled hypothetical worst case inundation scenarios using a combination of hurricane parameters and SLR scenarios, and used the model results to conduct a vulnerability analysis of water quality infrastructure, public property and populations. We also quantified economic and structural damages from storms, and formulated recommendations for adapting water quality infrastructure to prepare for storm events. The results of the vulnerability analysis showed that hurricane barriers around New Bedford Harbor began to be compromised by Category 2 hurricanes with 4-foot SLR and Category 3 hurricanes at current mean higher high water (MHHW). At a Category 3 storm with 4-foot SLR, maximum inundation depths in the area would reach 32 feet. This scenario would also result in inundation at the site of 100% of Designated Port Areas, 36% of publically-owned structures, 26 pump stations, and one wastewater treatment facility. It would also affect over 30,000 residents of environmental justice communities. Damage quantification analyses estimated $3.5 billion in projected economic damages to buildings and substantial damage to 1,399 buildings. Municipalities can use a water quality infrastructure adaptation project adaptation matrix developed in the report to prioritize projects which will protect critical water quality infrastructure from storm-related damages. Recommendations include adding on-site generators, checking for buoyancy, and flood-proofing doors, electrical systems and air intakes at vulnerable structures. The data generated during this study will further the municipal, state, and federal government’s understanding of public infrastructure vulnerability and help municipalities plan for future storm events.

This manual was written to make the strategies developed for ABAG and BCDC’s Housing and Community Multiple Hazard Risk Assessment Project accessible and usable for local jurisdictions throughout the Bay Area. It is a resource to support action at multiple levels to address seismic and flooding vulnerabilities in the Bay Area. While we continue to learn about risks in the Bay Area, we know actions that can happen now to help the region become more resilient in the face of earthquakes and flooding.

Who should use this manual

This manual is primarily geared to be easily understood by local jurisdiction staff, elected officials, policy makers, and other local decision-makers who are in the position to implement the strategies laid out within. Community groups, local leaders, and residents may also advocate for these strategies to their leaders.

What you can learn from this manual

This manual is designed for the user to quickly and easily:

• Gain an understanding of the vulnerabilities considered and the strategies aimed at reducing them
• Decide which strategies are most applicable to your jurisdiction
• Learn how to gain a high level understanding of each strategy’s aims for quick and easy policy-level decision making
• Gain information on how to implement each strategy in a meaningful, in-depth way 

This 2018 Coastal Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Project (Report) provides the City of Carpinteria (City), public service providers, interested members of the public, and community organizations with a comprehensive, science-based assessment of the vulnerabilities of City resources, structures, and infrastructure, as well as the potential for future damages to the City associated with various coastal hazards, including sea level rise. This Report will be used by the City to inform community discussions on the impacts from existing and future coastal hazards, identify a full range of potential future adaptation strategies that can be employed to reduce the risk of future damages, and identify thresholds of impacts that can guide long-term land use and planning goals, policies, and programs, including capital improvements and implementation measures related to citywide physical development. This Report’s identified vulnerabilities will support adaptation planning to inform the update of the City’s General Plan and Local Coastal Program (GP/LCP), which will ultimately lead to enhanced community resilience. 

Adaptation Action Areas are a designation in the Coastal Management Element of a local government comprehensive plan which identifies one or more areas that experience coastal flooding due to extreme high tides and storm surge, and that are vulnerable to the related impacts of rising sea levels for the purpose of prioritizing funding for infrastructure needs and adaptation planning. These Adaptation Action Areas, or Adaptation Areas, will help the City reach these goals, keeping Fort Lauderdale safe and prepared.

This case study is intended to be a “how-to” illustration to guide local governments interested in integrating Adaptation Action Areas into their own policy and operational framework.

The San Diego region is a center of economic activity, diversity, and culture in Southern California. The region has long been known for its remarkable landscape, biological diversity, economic prowess, and prestigious academic institutions, and many have acclaimed it as one of the nation’s most livable communities.While the region’s growth and status as an economic center is projected to continue for the foreseeable future, real threats to this status are posed by the impacts of climate change.Among these expected climate change impacts, perhaps none poses a greater risk than sea level rise. This century, elevation of average high tide could change by as much as 1.5 meters, or approximately five feet.

The Adaptation Strategy was prepared by ICLEIͲ Local Governments for Sustainability through a collaborative, regional stakeholder process that included most of the public agencies and private sector representatives with a major interest in the future of San Diego Bay.Over the course of multiple workshops, stakeholders and technical advisors developed common assumptions and consensusͲbased recommendations that should form the basis of the region’s climate adaptation planning going forward.The Adaptation Strategy is a living document that can be implemented by local agencies and reͲevaluated as new information becomes available in the coming years.

Sea level rise and climate change threaten coastal communities and resources, presenting new management challenges to cities. Through this assessment the City of Imperial Beach is working to understand their vulnerabilities, as they prepare for a changing climate. The purpose of the 2016 City of Imperial Beach Sea Level Rise Assessment (“Report”) is to enhance community understanding of future climate change impacts and potential adaptation strategies. There are three project goals:

1. Identify Imperial Beach-specific coastal vulnerabilities from sea level rise and coastal hazards;
2. Identify a range of adaptation strategies including tradeoffs and economics;
3. Recommend strategies over time that are politically digestible and economically feasible.

Adaptation is a process in which a community collaboratively seeks to understand and address climate-induced hazards, such as flooding and erosion resulting from sea level rise. Successful adaptation involves several key components:

1. Analyze: Assess existing and future vulnerabilities in relationship to changing conditions.
2. Plan: Identify “adaptation” strategies that reduce identified vulnerabilities to climate change, and align with the community’s values and future vision.
3. Act: Implement adaptation plans, policies, and projects; and monitor to ensure the chosen strategies are effectively reducing vulnerabilities.

This project focused on the “Analyze” step by providing a science-based vulnerability assessment, and began to analyze a select few management options.

The City of Santa Cruz has long been a leader in environmental sustainability and disaster recovery. Santa Cruz has extensive experience in preparing for and responding to disasters such as earthquakes, floods and drought. The community has come back from each experience stronger and better prepared for what lies ahead. We have not only recovered from these hazards but have strengthened our city by taking steps to avoid the impacts of these hazards should they occur again. As an example, our downtown corridor along Pacific Avenue was nearly destroyed by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The community rebuilt downtown to standards that make each building and the whole of downtown better prepared should another earthquake event. Hazard mitigation planning contributes to the protection of lives, property and the economic vitality of our city. The 1989 earthquake was devastating but it was also an opportunity to create a safer and more disaster resistant city. 

The intent of this CAP Update is to identify and quantify our most significant potential climate change risks and vulnerabilities, and to revise our action plan in guiding current and future decision makers in protecting our natural and built environment, our residents and visitors, our economic base, and our quality of life. Having a well-researched CAP Update that draws on the latest science and condition of the City creates the opportunity for the City to apply for FEMA and other funding to address next step studies and identified adaptation priorities.