Climate change might not allow the relief from the pandemic that many have been hoping for as the country enters the summer months, as evacuations during the hurricane, tornado, and fire seasons will take on new elements of risk.
Hurricane season officially began on June 1, adding another layer to a world full of concern. Forecasters have predicted an active hurricane season. Two articles published on June 1 explored the risks associated with the onset of hurricane season during the Covid-19 pandemic.
James Bruggers and Amy Green write for Inside Climate News about the efforts of Florida officials to prepare for extreme weather events and educate the public as the coronavirus drastically shifts calculations about how to respond to risks.
There's now a chance for one disaster to layer upon another. Many lives could be lost: first, from powerful winds, storm surges and flooding, and then through the spread of the coronavirus in cramped public shelters following mass evacuations. Evacuees might pass the virus to friends and relatives who take them in, or get infected themselves in those new surroundings.
One of the most concerning sources of potential confusion, according to the article, are questions about how to evacuate during a pandemic—people might choose to stay home instead of risking exposure to the coronavirus. "Even without a pandemic, mass evacuations can be logistical nightmares, clogging freeways, causing traffic accidents and depleting gas stations of fuel,"
Another article, by Dan Goldberg and Brianna Ehley, places hurricane season in context of other seasonal environmental threats, like tornado season and fire season.
"Officials from Florida to Missouri are hurriedly rewriting their disaster plans, worried that crowding large groups of evacuees in shelters could spread coronavirus during what’s expected to be a busy hurricane and tornado season," according to that article.
"Though President Donald Trump sees the summer as a time of economic revival, emergency management officials fear a terrible combination of natural disasters could lead to a fresh spread of the coronavirus — and that the pandemic could, in turn, set back their work," add Goldberg and Ehley.
The pandemic has added a massive layer of complexity to resilience planning, because no one in the United States has planned for an emergency in the midst of pandemic before.
FULL STORY: Hurricane Season Collides With Coronavirus, as Communities Plan For Dual Emergencies
Resilient Los Angeles: Preparing for Overlapping Disasters in Pandemic
L.A. City Chief Resilience Officer Aaron Gross elaborates on how the pandemic is shaping the city’s understanding of resilience and the cascading impact that overlapping disasters of earthquake or wildfire could have on the city’s limited resources.
Home Insurers Are Fleeing California
Homeowners in the state are finding it increasingly difficult to secure insurance policies thanks to the growing risks of wildfire, drought, and other climate threats.
$7.3 Billion Federal Resilience Funding Program Announced
The Biden administration announced guidance for $7.3 billion in funding under the PROTECT Formula Program at the end of July.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)