Resilience

Saying 'No' to Development in Climate Risk Areas
Only a few places have managed to stem the tide of development in areas at risk to the effects (like wildfire and flooding) of climate change. Virginia Beach is an early test bed for what it takes to tell developers "no."

Flood Barrier Approved for Manhattan's East Side
A plan to build a flood barrier between Manhattan and the East River overcame some last minute controversy on its way to approval this month.

Poll: The Public Supports Development Limits in California's Wildfire Areas
An idea that is gaining support with the public as the state of California suffers through catastrophic fire season after catastrophic fire season is still a deeply difficult political proposition.

New Models of Risk Assessment Needed in Wildfire Zones
About 350,000 residents have lost wildfire insurance in recent years, as a series of catastrophic fires have swept the state of California and insurance industry struggles to keep up with climate change.

Texans to Vote on Flood Control Funding, Property Tax Breaks in Disaster Areas
The fingerprint of Hurricane Harvey and recurring flooding events around the state are evident in the statewide election in Texas on November 5, 2019.

Massive Power Outages in Northern California as PG&E Avoids Wildfire Risk
Planetizen has collected local and national news on a massive, ongoing environmental and infrastructure story in Northern California. There are maps to keep track of the scope of planned power outages.

Revisiting the Resilience Metric—How Does it Relate to Sustainable Development?
An investigation of how resilience relates to sustainability, and how an understanding of that relationship informs more effective development investments.

Op-Ed: Seattle Resilience Roadmap Feels 'Retrospective'
Natalie Bicknell notes several deficiencies in the roadmap that resulted from Seattle's participation in the Rockefeller Foundation's now-defunct 100 Resilient Cities program.

As the Waters Rise Toward San Francisco International Airport, So Do the Costs of Staying Dry
San Francisco International Airport lies on 5,171-acres of land on eight miles of shoreline along the west side of the San Francisco Bay. Protecting the property from sea-level rise is becoming a more challenging, and expensive, task.

U.S. EPA Report Assists the Water Reuse Cause
A new plan released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides technical and strategic assistance for the implementation of water reuse infrastructure around the United States.

The Great Flood of 2019, Visualized
The New York Times has published a spectacular mapping and data project to show the extent of flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the winter, spring, and summer of 2019.

All New Commercial Developments Require Porous Pavement in New Orleans
After the challenges of a rainy season with persistent flooding last year, New Orleans is ensuring that the future of its development is more stormwater friendly than its past.

Flood Plans, Green Infrastructure Take Center Stage in Houston's Mayoral Race
The city of Houston will decide their next mayor in November, in a rematch of the two candidates who ran against each other in a tight runoff election in 2015 as well as a host of additional candidates.

Climate Change and Public Transit
A recent round of thunderstorms brought public transit operations in Philadelphia to a screeching halt.

Lake Michigan Wreaking Havoc on Chicago This Summer
Lake Michigan has reached historic levels this summer. Properties on the Far North Side are most at risk. Swimmers have already been called back from the shore.

Satirizing Mayors Who Campaign for President During a Flood
The Onion took some shots at presidential hopeful and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio after summer rain showers flooded streets and sent water cascading into the city's subway system.

L.A. Program Brings Earthquake Preparedness to Neighborhoods
A new Los Angeles initiative looks to neighborhood councils to lead disaster planning efforts that involve more residents.

Funding Research of Atmospheric Rivers to Better Prepare for Heavy Rains
Atmospheric river seems like a phrase that has only recently entered the parlance of the times, but the state of California has seen enough of the idea in action want to know more, and prepare for more.

More Detail on What Happened to 100 Resilient Cities
The Rockefeller Foundation has cited costs and a new strategic direction to explain why it abruptly cut off the program this year. While the work may live on in some form, the move underscores the risks of relying on private funding.

Watch: Sea Walls and the Future of Resilience
Vox and Curbed provide multi-media coverage of a Staten Island sea wall project as an example of the necessity of resilient infrastructure, and the shortcomings of our ability to predict the needs of the built environments in changed climates.
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