Mayors Along the Mississippi See Climate Change Coming — and are Shoring up Together

In an episode of Ten Across, mayors and officials from cities along the Mississippi River describe their efforts to collaborate on disaster preparedness and climate resilience in their changing region.

According to Ten Across, “Collaborative regional networks are proving to be one way to achieve much greater returns on investments of local time and funds. The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) has become an outstanding example of this type of work.”

With funding for federal agencies like FEMA and NOAA in jeopardy, local governments are working to figure out how to best leverage their own resources to protect their residents and infrastructure. “Among their most interesting efforts from a Ten Across perspective is the pilot parametric insurance policy MRCTI is developing with global reinsurer Munich Re. When realized, this program would allow member cities to opt in to a customized, shared insurance pool that could rapidly fund local emergency response based on predefined environmental trigger events.” Such initiatives can help cities address growing climate risks and secure the resources and support needed to boost resilience.