CAF14-208

Leveraging Resources for Financing, Implementing and Sustainability Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency Initiatives

Speakers: Karen Kubick, Sewer System Improvement Program Director, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; David Behar, Climate Programs Director, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Ben Grant, Public Realm and Urban Design Program Manager, San Francisco Planning & Urban Research Association (SPUR); MODERATOR: Erin Hagan, Policy and Government Affairs Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Local utilities can be strategic partners in thinking about creative financing mechanisms for planning and implementation of climate-adaptation and resiliency efforts. America’s water systems are old, inefficient and desperately in need of modernization, especially as our cities become more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events. As cities are investing in upgrades to their water infrastructure, these capital-improvement programs can serve as vehicles for financing, implementing and sustaining climate-change adaptation and resiliency initiatives. For example, the San Francisco PUC is incorporating climate-change adaptation strategies into its multi-billion dollar Sewer System Improvement Program. This session looks at the SFPUC as a case-study and delve into the details of how the agency was able to prioritize climate-change adaptation through its capital programs.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

CAF14-115

Monterey Bay: Pioneering Innovative Vulnerability and Adaptation Approaches to Coastal Decision Making

Speakers: David Revell, Ph.D., Senior Coastal Geomorphologist, ESA PWA Environmental Hydrology; Philip King, Ph.D., Associate Professor, San Francisco State University; Meg Caldwell, Executive Director, Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University; Christine Hopper, Senior Associate Planner, City of Monterey; MODERATOR: Rachel Couch, Project Manager, State Coastal Conservancy

This session explores planning efforts in Monterey Bay that comprise critical pieces in the region’s unique climate adaptation puzzle. The session includes presentations on advancements in modeling addressing local coastal hazards and applications of the results, specifically improved methods to project accelerating cliff erosion, integrate coastal erosion and flooding, and map future coastal flood hazards based on site-specific conditions; perspectives of a city planning manager on the challenges presented by coastal hazards when applying local land use policy analysis and decision-making; regulatory risk associated with land use planning adaptation strategies; and improvements to a 2012 study that evaluated economic benefits and costs of shoreline protection and land-use policies to incorporate improved data, physical modeling of hazards and socio-economic impacts under sea level rise and alternative management scenarios. These improvements will position the region’s actively engaged stakeholders to more effectively manage the dynamic land-sea interface for current and future generations.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

CAF14-116

Engaging Communities on Health, Equity and Climate Adaptation

Speakers: MODERATOR: Martha Dina Arguello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles Chione Flegal, Deputy Director, PolicyLink; Monica Shankar, Health and Environment Associate, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles; Catalina Garzon, Program Director, Community Strategies for Sustainability and Justice Program, Pacific Institute

We know that low-income communities of color are affected first and worst by climate change. Developing climate action coalitions can play a key role in engaging impacted residents in local climate action and adaptation planning. Successfully achieving climate resiliency hinges on broad-scale community participation involving a diversity of residents. In this interactive workshop, we compare the experiences of Los Angeles and Oakland in developing leadership around climate adaptation strategies, especially those strategies with a strong social equity and environmental justice focus. Panelists share tools, activities and lessons learned from engaging communities in planning and taking action to build their resilience to climate change.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

Subtotal

$30.00