Wanted: A Regional Planning Approach to Climate Change

The effects of climate change—rising seas, extreme weather—will require coordinated action around the New York region. Regional planning, in other words.

1 minute read

June 18, 2018, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


New York Sandy Power Outage

david_shankbone / Flickr

"The Regional Planning Association is renewing its call for a coastal commission that could bridge the gap between neighborhoods, local, and federal government when it comes to working together to create a proactive approach to rising sea level in the areas most impacted.," reports Ameena Walker.

In calling for the creation of a coastal commission, the Regional Planning Association is renewing a recommendation from the Fourth Regional Plan, released at the end of 2017. The Fourth Regional Plan calls for the creation of a coastal commission representing New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut that would create a regional coastal adaptation plan, determine areas at risk from flooding, and "evaluate, prioritize, and potentially fund projects along the coastline." 

To bring a renewed focus on this call to create a regional planning entity in the fact of climate change and sea level rise, the Regional Planning Association released a report earlier this month titled "The Case for a Regional Coastal Commission," supplemented by the following video.

The Case for a Regional Coastal Commission from Regional Plan Association on Vimeo.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 in Curbed NY

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Mary G., Urban Planner

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