This presentation was by Jason Vogel of Abt Associates and is about community-based adaptation in the United States. This presentation was given at the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association's annual Symposium held every July in Broomfield, Colorado. Watch the presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3nmYTYAQPg

1. Community-based
adaptation in the
United States: A
critical evaluation
Jason Vogel
July 23, 2015

2. Abt Associates | pg 2
What is the project?
 Funded by the Kresge Foundation
 Sign post for the state-of-the-field
 Focused on action at the community level
 Empirically grounded

3. Abt Associates | pg 3
The project purpose
 To catalyze community-based adaptation action in
the United States
– Normative standpoint
– Empirical focus
 Ask the big picture questions
– What motivates communities to take action?
– How do communities get funding for their actions?
– What role does leadership play?
– What strategies are used?

4. Abt Associates | pg 4
CC adaptation versus hazard
mitigation
 Lots of interest in CC adaptation
– Plans on shelves?
 Lots of experience in natural hazards mitigation
– Thinking about the future?
 Compare the two, common denominator of actions to
reduce vulnerability to climate impacts

5. Abt Associates | pg 5
Diversity of communities included

6. Abt Associates | pg 6
Example case studies
 Dune building and beach nourishment in Avalon, NJ
 Desalinization plant in El Paso, TX
 Relocation from floodplains in Tulsa, OK
 Climate Change in comprehensive planning in
Miami-Dade County, FL
 Climate change planning process: cool roofs and
shade trees in Chula Vista, CA
 Integrating climate change into building codes in
Boston, MA

7. Abt Associates | pg 7
IV. Case studies: Fort Collins, CO
7
• Impact: Drought
• Action: Water Supply
Shortage Response Plan
and conservation programs
• Essential elements
- Severe drought
- Economic concerns
- Insufficient water storage
- Leveraging community support
Sources: New Belgium
2015; Fort Collins Utilities
2015

8. Abt Associates | pg 8
IV. Case studies: Tulsa, OK
• Impact: Inland flooding
• Action: Acquisition of
repeatedly flooded
properties
• Essential elements
- History of flooding
- Community mobilizes
- Tulsa creates regulatory flood
maps to target acquisition
- Tulsa markets acquisition
program
8
1984 Memorial Day Flood
Tulsa World, 1984

9. Abt Associates | pg 9
IV. Case studies: Norfolk, VA
• Impact: Recurrent tidal flooding
• Action: Flood and coastal zone ordinance
changes
• Essential elements
– Increased flood insurance claims → Department of
City Planning decides to take action
– Department of City Planning drafts proposed
ordinance changes
– Planning Commission considers climate change
– Stakeholder feedback and ordinance revisions
– City Council passes a final ordinance
9

10. Abt Associates | pg 10
IV. Case studies: Seattle, WA
10
Strategic Business Planning
Organization-wide agenda setting
and prioritization
Department-Wide Planning
Long-term planning for water supply or drainage
and wastewater
Capital Improvements
Allocation of funxding for implementation
Operations and Maintenance
Ensuring the day to day functioning of the water,
wastewater, drainage, and solid waste system
• Impact: Multiple
• Action: Climate change integrated into
internal planning
• Essential elements
- Increasing intensity & frequency of
extreme events increases awareness
- Climate reports illuminate risks
- Partnerships form to understand SPU’s
climate impacts
- SPU creates Climate Resiliency Group
- Climate change integrated all scales of
decision-making at SPU
SPU mainstreaming cc model
Source: Stults

11. Abt Associates | pg 11
IV. Case studies: Chula Vista, CA
• Impact: Urban heat island
effect
• Action: Cool roofs ordinance
& shade trees policy
• Essential elements
- History of climate hazards
- Focus 2050 Report
- Early action on mitigation
- Develops plans for ordinance &
policy
11

12. Abt Associates | pg 12
What empowers communities to
take action despite uncertainty?
 Tulsa: citizen activists, government staff, political
winds
 Grand Rapids and Flagstaff: vote of the citizens
 Boston and Miami-Dade: elected leadership
 Avalon and Boston: experience extreme events
 Norfolk: climate change information
 Grand Rapids and Mobile County: Other community
issues

13. Abt Associates | pg 13
What kind of engagement can help
further climate change adaptation?
 Boston and Seattle: Staff engagement and capacity
building
 Grand rapids and Flagstaff: vote of the citizens
 Tulsa and SW Crown: citizen/grass-roots effort
 El Paso: community leaders lobby elected officials
 Chula Vista: citizen engagement to support staff w/
council
 Mobile County: provide local jobs and volunteerism

14. Abt Associates | pg 14
Cross case findings
 Multitude of pathways to achieve concrete reductions in
vulnerability
– Modest modifications to existing regulations (Norfolk)
– Transformational change (Tulsa)
– Capacity Building (Seattle)
 Community engagement essential, but varies
– Diversity of interested and affected parties (Chula Vista)
– Political consensus (Grand Rapids)
– Staff-focused (Seattle)
 Motivation
– Climate change (Seattle, Chula Vista)
– Extreme events (Tulsa, Fort Collins)

15. Jason Vogel
jvogel@stratusconsulting.com
Questions?