Based on what you have read, know or have worked on, what do you - PDF document

Based on what you have read, know or have worked on, what do you imagine to be the biggest challenge in helping communities in the New York region adapt to climate change? 1

ADR IN A CHANGING CLIMATE: HOW TO BUILD RESILIENCE THROUGH FACILITATION AND COLLABORATION 17 th Annual ACR‐GNY CONFERENCE – June 5, 2018 NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL Catherine Morris, Consensus Building Institute Bennett Brooks, Consensus Building Institute Joe Siegel,* Haub School of Law at Pace University *The views expressed in this presentation do not necessarily reflect the views of the US EPA 2

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN THE NORTHEAST Source: US EPA Region 2 Source: Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released), at http://www.nj.gov/military/publications/guardlife/volume35no4/5.html ‐ SUPERSTORM SANDY: OCTOBER 29, 2012 ‐ “increase the risk that infrastructure for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater will fail…. [High Confidence] . As a result, the risk of exposure to water‐ related pathogens, chemicals, and algal toxins will increase” 3

NEW YORK REGION: 71‐75” Sea Level Rise By 2100 (high scenario) Source: 6 NYCRR Part 490 4

NORTHEAST: EXTREME RAINFALL EVENTS http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/ ‐In the U.S., there are already observed changes in very heavy precipitation; future predictions are for more frequent, more severe storms ‐This represents the change in rainfall over roughly the last 50 years; The worst 1% of rainfalls “between 1958 and 2010, the Northeast saw more than a 70% increase in the amount of precipitation falling in very heavy events (defined as the heaviest 1% of all daily events)” 5

EXTREME HEAT IN U.S. “Increase of thousands to tens of thousands of premature heat‐ related deaths in the summer [Very Likely, High Confidence]” “Climate change will make it harder for any given regulatory approach to reduce ground‐level ozone pollution in the future as meteorological conditions become increasingly conducive to forming ozone over most of the United States” [Likely, High Confidence] . 6

FACILITATING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION 7

DISPARATE OPERATING CULTURES INSTITUTIONAL STOVEPIPES Source: https://www.enterpriseirregulars.com/30615/avoiding‐social‐stovepipes‐in‐the‐enterprise/ 8

RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS Source: https://www.krossfire.ro/bursa‐timpului/ 9

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK 10

GETTING LOST IN THE WEEDS • SOURCE: http://davefredman.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html 11

WORKGROUP FATIGUE 12

Living with the Rising Waters Shift from 36,000 foot view to community level We all now there are challenges here in NY area – can see some in photos above (Dina Long – boots in trunk, Long Beach, Staten Island) In wake of Sandy, talked to folks and asked what’s the biggest challenge? Answer = coastal retreat = don’t know how to discuss, afraid to discuss Since then, have done a few things to better understand and begin to take on this challenge 13

What we did First step = Bring together folks to better understand challenge ‐ WHY SO HARD? WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE WAYS FORWARD? Strive to break from business as usual ‐ Went beyond the “usual” suspects: grief counselors, actors, clergy, local residents ‐ Brought in art, performance (get beyond “intellectual” approach 14

Key Takeaways • Discussions highlighted usual barriers: uncertainty, limited resources; reactive govt programs; no effective financing • But also surface more unusual and unexpected takeaways • Intensity of emotion around this issue • Power of using art and performance • The need to find new approaches – integrate across brains and heart • The enormity of the challenge and the hunger for ongoing discussion Remarkably profound day – folks engaged at dlfferent level – had longtime planners literally in tears Of course, highlighted usual barriers But also some unusual takeaways ‐ Unlike other issues; touches deep emotional vein – loss of place ‐ Art as way to open up discussion, acknowledge the emotional side of the challenge ‐ Not enough to be all heart or all brain; need both ‐ Big challenge, but people eager to keep talking; 15

Plans Going Forward • ADD PHOTO OF ANU End result = Network is born – several hundred people strong Up and running web page (climigration.org) Meeting quarterly – discuss issues (bond ratings, federal funding, creating financing mechanisms, LA buyout effort) Sparking ongoing conversation Will soon be launching RFP to generate promising research ideas 16

The Piermont Challenge But wanting to get beyond theoretical….Working with Piermont, NY Provide overview of Piermont challenge ‐ Small village just below Tappan Zee ‐ Flooding from above and below (Hudson to east, cliffs to west, river coming down) ‐ Hammered in both Irene (from above) and Sandy (from the Hudson) ‐ Flooding in high tides and full moons, SLR outlook grim – some neighborhoods may be inundated as soon as 2040 ‐ No room to run from water 17

Planning as a First Step Relatonship started in 2013 with Sea Level Plan • Began in aftermath of Sandy • Formal Task Force established – sponsored by community, DEC, others – about 15 members • Very productive ‐ outlined problem, began to frame initial steps to address “next‐ storm” needs and understand longer term challenge 18

Talking about the Risk VERY successful at surfacing issues, BUT wanting and needing to get deeper, really take on challenge of coastal retreat Didn’t get deep into the discussion of what to do for those neighborhoods living along the water’s edge More was needed NOTE PHOTOS: ‐ Bogertown ‐ Flooding from one of the March Noreasters 19

Making the Conversation Local • 2017 = Living Room Conversations • Three separate conversations • 4 to 14 people in each conversation • Testing the waters – exploring interest – understanding the potential and pitfalls SO….with a grant from Lincoln Insititute of Land Policy, sparked series of living room conversations ‐ Separate conversations in the three most at‐risk neighborhoods ‐ Conversations literally held in neighbors homes; intent was to create a safe and informal space where folks could talk freely about the risk, fears and uncertainty of what comes next ‐ Several goals: Understand how they experience flooding now, understand what folks know of future risk, get sense of there plans to adapt (near and longer‐term) 20

Key Takeaways Key Takeaways • Love of place is deep – people want to make it work even if “making it work” means rethinking “quality of life” or sacrificing one’s neighborhood for others • Strong sense of connection to one another – Sandy deepened an already strong bond; desire to work together among many is a powerful driver • Village role is more important than ever ‐ challenge is bigger than any one resident or neighborhood can take on alone • Hunger for a “roadmap” – clear pathway forward is an antidote to uncertainty and fear Conversations both candid and tough: Candor – folks were honest about their experiences and fears (living room furniture, dying gardens, no home to inherit) Tough – for residents (exposing wound and fears, household differences); for me (asking people to be vulnerable, no ready solutions) And yet….successful and appreciated: People have fears; just dealing with them alone at 4 in the morning Several key takeawys (UNDERSCORE UNCERTAINTY ON LAST POINT) 21

Plans Going Forward • 2018‐19 = Training and Neighborhood Conversations • Building off connections already made • Finding and training locals to lead conversations • Neighborhood conversations to envision the future (“getting real”) Now = launching 2 nd round Training locals to facilitate Convening series of meetings to flesh out vision, reality Goal = Create conversation that is sustainable locally over the longer term 22

About CBI CBI is a nonprofit organization with decades of CBI is a nonprofit organization with decades of experience QUESTIONS experience helping leaders collaborate to solve helping leaders collaborate to solve complex problems. complex problems. Our staff are experts in facilitation, mediation, capacity building, Our staff are experts in facilitation, mediation, citizen engagement, and organizational strategy and capacity building, citizen engagement, and development. organizational strategy and development. We are committed to using our skills to build collaboration on We are committed to using our skills to build today’s most significant social, environmental, and economic collaboration on today’s most significant social, challenges. We environmental, and economic challenges. We work within and across organizations, sectors, work within and across organizations, sectors, and stakeholder groups. and stakeholder groups. FOR MORE INFORMATION: CBI.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION: CBI.ORG 23

24

25

26

27

In 2015, it was estimated that main roads were flooding 4‐5 times a month. 28

What was the special sauce that made it work? Took the pulse of the community Created a steering committee of local leaders Created a forum for tough community conversations Didn’t start the conversation with climate change Gave them ownership 29

30

https://www.cbi.org/assets/files/150812_SI_FINAL_VISION_PLAN.pdf 31