Managing the Climate Crisis

Annotated Table of Contents Managing the Climate Crisis Designing and Building for Floods, Heat, Drought, and Wildfire

By Jonathan Barnett and Matthijs Bouw

Part I: Understanding the Climate Crisis Chapter 1: The Climate Crisis: A National Security Problem • •

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The Climate Crisis: A National Security Problem The Climate Crisis Now and by Midcentury o Danger from Floods o Danger from Extreme Heat o Danger of Running Out of Fresh Water o Danger from Wildfires o Problems Maintaining the Food Supply The Need for Immediate Action o Base All Climate-Related Actions on the Best Available Science o Restore and Enhance Natural Systems o Make All Government Decisions about Climate Management within a Public Process o Lay Out Adaptation Pathways for Climate Management Decisions o Make Future Climate Considerations Part of All Codes and Regulations o Make Future Climate Factors Part of All Infrastructure Decisions o Begin Planning and Building the Protections Needed Now and by Midcentury o Stop Building in the Wrong Places o Start Building in the Right Places

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Plan for and Fund Equitable Relocations Make Climate Management an Opportunity for a Better Future Toward Current and Future Climate Management

Chapter 2: The Causes and Dangers of a Warming Climate • • •

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The Causes of Global Warming How Warming Produces Climate Threats o More Intense, and Possibly More Frequent, Tropical Cyclones Increases in Coastal Flooding and Storm Surges o More Periods of Heavy Precipitation o Higher Maximum Temperatures, More Hot Days, and Longer and More Intense Heat Waves o Higher Minimum Temperatures and Fewer Cold Days o Unseasonal Freezing Temperatures o Longer and More Intense Periods of Drought in Some Regions o How Long before the Climate Crisis Becomes Unmanageable?

Managing the Climate Crisis Now

Part II: Managing Climate Threats Chapter 3: Flooding from Sea Level Rise and Storm Surges • • •

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The Threat to All US Coasts Managing Coastal Flooding Reducing Damage o Reducing Exposure with Polder Systems o Reducing Exposure by Moving People Out of Danger o Reducing Vulnerability of Individual Properties What Strategy to Choose? o Environmental Repair Strategies o Community Involvement Strategies o Regulatory Obstacles o Timing Uncertainties Managing Coastal Flooding Now and up to 2050

Chapter 4: Flooding along Rivers •

Managing the Legacy of Dams and Levees o A Changing Climate Requires Alternatives to Conventional Levees o Relying on the Floodplain and Temporary Protections

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o Deepening the Channel o Floodplain Restoration o Increasing Flow Downstream Intercepting Floodwaters Upstream o Dangers of Dams and Reservoirs to Control Flooding o Using Natural Systems to Preserve River Shorelines o Stormwater Management in Urban Areas o Landscape Designs to Reduce Flooding Nature-based Flood Protection Infrastructure o Room for the River, an Example of Systemic Flood Management The Changing Climate Requires the Integration of Flood Control Methods Managing River Flooding Now and up to Midcentury o Moving People Out of Harm’s Way o The Flood Management Planning Process

Chapter 5: Flooding from Extreme Storm Events • • • • • • •

Effect of the Clean Water Act From Pipe and Pump to Green-Blue Solutions Polders Copenhagen and Amsterdam Rainwater Management Prototypes in Asia Challenges of Nature-based Infrastructure Looking toward Midcentury

Chapter 6: Life-Threatening Heat • •

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The Health Threat from Extreme Heat Managing Extreme Heat Outdoors o Designs for Cooling Entire Cities o Cooling Streets and Public Spaces with Green Infrastructure o Reducing Automobile Traffic in Downtown Streets o Cooling Public Space with Water o Cooling Streets and Public Spaces with Shade Structures o Staying out of the Midday Sun Using Natural Processes to Manage Extreme Heat in Buildings o Replacing Conventional Air-Conditioning with Geothermal Cooling o Making Buildings More Reflective and Shading Interiors: o Cooling Buildings through Natural Ventilation: o Enhancing Natural Ventilation with Evaporative Cooling:

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Legislating Maximum Interior Temperatures: Toward Cooler Cities by 2050 o Adopting Summer Schedules Right Away o A First Step: Compiling an Effective Climate Atlas o A Next Step: Adopting and Implementing Urban Cooling Plans o Utilizing Geothermal Cooling o Making Buildings Cooler Naturally o Setting Maximum Indoor Temperatures o Setting Maximum Outdoor Temperatures for Outdoor Work o Cooling the Private Components of the Public Realm o Shading Streets o Managing Tropical Diseases and Pandemics Looking to Midcentury and Beyond

Chapter 7: Shortages of Fresh Water • •

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Current Water Use in the United States Conserving Fresh Water o Conserving Fresh Water Used for Agriculture o Conserving Fresh Water in Buildings o Conserving Fresh Water in Maintaining Landscapes o Conserving Fresh Water Used in Power Generation o Protecting Freshwater Supplies from Pollution Alternatives to Standard Freshwater Supplies o Reuse of Wastewater o Desalination Plants o Harvesting Water from Rainfall Managing Water Shortages in the Colorado River Basin Drought Management Plans for Colorado River Basin Cities o Drought Management in Phoenix o Drought Management in Los Angeles o Drought Management in Las Vegas Implementing Water Management Now and by 2050 o Estimating the Future Water Supply o Comprehensive Water Management Plans o Conserving Water in Water-Supply Systems o Conserving Water Used for Agriculture o Finding Additional Water Supplies for Agriculture o Conserving Water in Power Plants o Conserving Water in Buildings

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o Conserving Water in Maintaining Landscapes o Reuse of Wastewater o Harvesting Water from Rainfall o Desalination Plants for Ocean Water o Recharging Aquifers o Protecting Water from Contamination Looking to Midcentury and Beyond

Chapter 8: Wildfire • • •

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Catastrophic Wildfires o Fire Suppression Makes Future Wildfires Worse Managing Wildlands to Reduce Fire Risks o Reducing Wildlands’ Potential to Burn Making Buildings More Resistant to Wildfire o Building Only in Safer Places o Maintaining Defensible Spaces around Buildings o Safeguarding Building Exteriors o Establishing Access and Escape Routes Separating People and Wildlands o Large-Lot Zoning in the Wildland Urban Intermix o Building Codes, Zoning, and Buyouts Based on Community Wildfire  Protection Plans o It Is Not Easy to Protect People from Wildfire Dangers o Should People Rebuild Communities after a Fire Implementing Protections from Wildfire o Reducing the Flammability of Forests o Adopting Community Wildfire Protection Plans o Enacting Building and Landscaping Codes for the WUI o Planning Retreat from Places That Are No Longer Inhabitable Benefits from Reducing Wildfire Risks

Chapter 9: Food Shortages • •

Preserving Farmland Should Be a National Priority The Next Step Is Maintaining and Improving Farm Productivity o Making Irrigation More Sustainable o Reducing Soil Erosion o Adjusting Crops to a Changing Climate o Improving the Microclimate for Row Crops

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o Mitigating Heat for Farm Animals o Urban Greenhouse and Enclosed Environment Farming o Aquaculture and Fish Farming o Climate-Smart Agriculture Immediate Implementation Priorities for 2030 o Reducing Wasted Food o Preserving Farmland o Making Irrigation More Sustainable o Reducing Soil Erosion Longer-Term Implementation Priorities for 2050 o Adjusting Crops and Pastures to a Changing Climate o Encouraging Greenhouse and Protected Agriculture in Urban Areas o Encouraging Aquaculture and Fish Farming

Part III: Looking Ahead Chapter 10: Recent Progress in Managing Climate Threats •

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The Role of the Federal Government o Biden Executive Order o A Congressional Agenda Progress at State and Local Levels o The North Carolina Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan o The Business Case for Resilience in Southeast Florida o The Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan o Resilient Houston o Colorado’s Climate Action Act o Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update o Seattle: Preparing for Climate Change Implementing Climate Goals and Plans o Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions o Financing Adaptation o Moving People from Unsafe Areas o Making Specific Adaptation Plans o Climate-Based Planning for Land Uses o Improving Social Equity

Chapter 11: Costs and Benefits of Managing Climate Threats •

Costs of Protecting Vulnerable Cities and Suburbs from Coastal Flooding o Protecting Miami-Dade County

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o Houston Barriers o New York and Boston Barriers Shore-Based Seawalls and Other Protections Costs of Protecting Individual Coastal Properties o Legislating Assistance in Protection from Coastal Floods o Should New Development Be Permitted in Vulnerable Areas Costs of Protection from River Flooding Costs of Managing Flooding from Extreme Rain and Snow o Moving Can Be an Opportunity o Returning Land to Nature after Planned Retreat Costs of Protection from Wildfire o Reducing the Flammability of Forests o Protecting Individual Buildings o Protecting Whole Communities from Wildfire o Planned Retreat from Wildfire Dangers Costs of Protection from Extreme Heat Costs of Preventing Freshwater Shortages Costs of Safeguarding the Food Supply The United States Can Afford the Costs of Managing Climate Change to Midcentury Reminder: Managing Climate Change Up to Midcentury Is a Holding Action

Chapter 12: How Managing the Climate Crisis Can Transform the United States • •

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Reshaping the Future A Changing Climate Requires New Design and Planning Models o Protect from Flooding, Heat, Drought, and Wildfire o Protect Ecosystems, Trees, and Green Spaces o Design to Be Energy Efficient and Climate Resilient o Provide Renewable, Reliable, and Affordable Energy o Increase Access to Sustainable, Affordable Transportation o Plan for Zero-Waste Communities o Expand Access to Healthy, Locally Produced Food o Eliminate Most Air Pollution So Everyone Can Breathe Clean Air Bringing These Objectives Together A Climate Atlas Climate Adaptation Plans Long-Term Adaptation Budgets A Neighborhood Resilience Module A Community Tool Kit for Managing Climate Change

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o Protections from Coastal Flooding o Protections from River Floods o Protections from Extreme Precipitation o Mitigating Extreme Heat o Conserving Water o Reducing Dangers from Wildfires o Safeguarding Food Supplies Managing the Climate Crisis Will Be Difficult, but It Is Possible

Acknowledgments Illustration Credits Notes Index About the Authors