Category: Urban Systems

Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season

Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season

01/02/23

“Why do torrents of winter rain in California make the state more fire-prone in the dry season?”

As of writing, California is undergoing rain patterns of almost biblical proportions. The City of Oakland has received more rain in a single day than its entire history since records began. Road closures, power outages, and property damage can be seen throughout the Golden State. There are some upsides, such as the easing of the drought. While intuition may say that another benefit will be a safer fire season, the reality is much more complicated. Plant overgrowth is bound to happen after these rains, and if the moisture is not kept up for the rest of the wet season then much of this new flora going to die off. This in turn will lead to more combustible fuel during fire season, making the state a living match. This is Why Torrents of Winter Rain in California Can Make the State More Fire-Prone in The Dry Season.

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

12/31/22

“What was the executive order that rolled back much of the Trump environmental policies and provided a course correction roadmap?”

A week into taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden signed U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This lengthy executive order not only rolled back much of the previous administration’s environmental policies but also set a course correction roadmap. Specifically, it tried to organize the U.S. federal agencies to reduce carbon broad-scale carbon emissions in the economy, promote climate adaptation, protect public health, lands, waters, and biodiversity, and spike union jobs and economic growth by driving the clean energy sector.

Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending

Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending

12/29/22

“Why will it become a political liability to cut climate spending?”

In the past few decades, climate spending seemed to many to be a luxury. However, with the advent of devastating storms, fires, and floods, the reality of climate change is here. These further damages are going to rupture communities and destroy billions of dollars of infrastructure. This will cement demand for climate funding, and proposing cuts may turn into a political liability. This is Why It Will Become a Political Liability to Cut Climate Spending.

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

12/28/22

“Why do climate adaptation planners have to select an RCP Pathway?”

Climate adaptation planners have to predict how climate change will evolve over the years. However, analyzing the future is excruciatingly difficult. There are untold ways for society to change and temperatures to rise. Planners can simplify matters by selecting an RCP forecast. These IPCC-developed pathways are vetted by some of the world’s preeminent scientists and are already standard practice in climate work. This is Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast.

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

12/27/22

“Why may new adaptation initiatives consider implementing easier projects earlier?”

New climate adaptation initiatives may have to learn quickly and show their effectiveness early. One potential avenue to accomplish this is to concentrate on implementing easier projects earlier. Not only will this show stakeholders visible progress, but also enable more rapid learning that will lead to more success with long-term projects. This is Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier.

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

12/26/22

“What exactly are leading practices in climate adaptation?”

“Best Practices” is a term often applied to standard-bearing methodologies in a field. However more nascent and rapid-growing fields such as climate adaptation do not have the maturity to label a certain practice as “best” A technique that is popular today may become obsolete in a couple of years. For this reason, the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) has adopted the term Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation. Leading Practices are practices that are currently popular, but (like everything in the field) may be subject to change.

The U.S. National Climate Assessment

The U.S. National Climate Assessment

12/25/22

“What are the definitive national reports released by the U.S. government to understand climate change in its environment?”

The U.S Global Change Research Act of 1990 was a landmark piece of legislation for the United States. One of its provisions declared that the U.S. Global Change Research Program was required to release a report every four years on the U.S.’s capabilities to anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to changes in the global environment. Coming in the form of The U.S. National Climate Assessment, these reports are designed to be an authoritative assessment of the science of climate change but do not include policy recommendations.

Why Planners Should Integrate Themselves Into The Communities They Work With

Why Planners Should Integrate Themselves Into The Communities They Work With

12/24/22

“Why should planners integrate themselves into the communities they work with?”

Urban planning has contributed significantly to systematic racism over its lifetime, whether through redlining, segregation, or many other awful tactics. Planners should integrate themselves into these spaces to understand the pains of the communities impacted by these horrors and not repeat them. This can take the form of working in the field, participating in local events, having members look over their work, and much more. This is Why Planners Should Integrate Themselves Into The Communities They Work With.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program

The U.S. Global Change Research Program

12/23/22

“What is the federal U.S. program to coordinate federal understanding and action on climate impacts?”

Multiple U.S. federal agencies invest in tackling climate change. However, coordinating them can be a strong issue. To solve this, The U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990 laid the foundation for The U.S. Global Change Research Program. This program coordinates federal research and involvement to comprehend what systems (both natural and unnatural) are shaping the planet.