The Green New Deal may be stalled on the federal level, but it’s always been local governments that move the needle on progress and have immediate, concrete impacts on our lives. Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu’s proposal – Planning for a Green New Deal & Just Recovery – is a great example of local action in the face of federal inertia, and offers an ambitious vision for Boston’s future.
Amid a raging pandemic, one that is hitting Black and Brown communities particularly hard, already-vulnerable communities find themselves even more threatened by the possibility of a significant storm hitting Massachusetts. That makes it more imperative than ever that we plan now for the storm season still to come.
“This rule is a critical step forward in preparing Boston for the impacts of the climate crisis we know are coming,” said Deanna Moran, Director of Environmental Planning at CLF. “Protecting natural resources does not have to come at the expense of critical climate adaptation measures, and this ordinance strikes the right balance.”
CLF and Boston Harbor Now hosted a forum with diverse stakeholders – city and state leaders, advocacy organizations, the development community, and others – to discuss regulatory updates and other proactive measures that will not only allow for, but encourage, climate resiliency measures on Boston’s waterfront that benefit the public.
Two bills introduced in the Massachusetts legislature this session could lead the way for the rest of New England to adapt to our new climate reality.
Two years after the MBTA’s strategic plan was approved, we’re looking into how well the T stuck to its own goals. While the T has completed some of its infrastructure and financial goals, it has a long way to go to meet its accessibility and climate goals.
Harvey. Irma. Maria. Nate. Last year, during a 45-day period, eight consecutive named storms strengthened into hurricanes. All told, the 2017 hurricane season was the most expensive in history, causing more than $200 billion in damage nationwide. Meanwhile, so-called 100-year floods are becoming so common the metric is losing its meaning and utility. For instance,… Continue reading Climate Change Preparedness on Trial
Barely a month ago, a historic storm blasted coastal New England – a “bomb cyclone” that brought blizzard conditions, heavy snow, and massive flooding to Boston’s Seaport neighborhood and other waterfront communities like Chelsea and Salem. As the storm raged, Twitter and Facebook feeds filled with a barrage of images showing icy waters flowing down… Continue reading Building for the Climate of the Future
Climate change impacts are affecting New England communities now, so CLF set out to determine the liability risks of government entities and other decision makers if they fail to prepare for these impacts. The result is the CLF Climate Adaptation and Liability report, which looks at the theories of legal liability for design professionals (such as… Continue reading Climate Adaptation and Liability: A Legal Primer and Workshop Summary
In 2013, a two-day downpour struck the Chicago area, causing massive flooding, overflowing sewers, and millions of dollars in property damage. After the clean-up, Farmers Insurance company filed a landmark class action lawsuit against the Water Reclamation District for greater Chicago on behalf of its policyholders and other property insurance companies affected by the flooding.… Continue reading Rising Seas, Rising Standards of Care
