Adaptation Assessment Guidebook

Cynthia Rosenzweig (Co-chair), NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (NASA GISS) and Columbia University Earth Institute, Center for Climate Systems Research (Columbia EI CCSR) William Solecki (Co-chair), City University of New York, CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities (CUNY CISC) Reginald Blake, CUNY, New York City College of Technology Malcolm Bowman, SUNY, Stony Brook Andrew Castaldi, Swiss Reinsurance America Corporation, represented by Megan Linkin Craig Faris, Accenture Vivien Gornitz, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Klaus Jacob, Columbia Earth Institute Alice LeBlanc, Consultant Robin Leichenko, Rutgers University Edna Sussman, SussmanADR, LCC Gary Yohe, Wesleyan University Rae Zimmerman, New York University Megan O’Grady (Project Manager), Columbia EI CCSR Lesley Patrick (Project Manager), CUNY CISC David Major (Lead, Adaptation Planning), Columbia EI CCSR Radley Horton (Lead, Climate Science), Columbia EI CCSR/NASA GISS Daniel Bader, Columbia EI CCSR Richard Goldberg, Columbia EI CCSR Michael Brady, CUNY CISC Brian Thomas, Sustainability Communications Adam Freed, Deputy Director Aaron Koch, Policy Advisor ADAPTATION ASSESSMENT GUIDEBOOK New York City Panel on Climate Change David C. Major and Megan O’Grady were the lead authors for the writing and preparation of the AAG. Additionally, David C. Major led the Adaptation Assessment group creating the approach embodied in this document, and Megan O’Grady provided substantial content and served as the NPCC's main liaison to the New York City Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. Radley Horton, Daniel Bader, Gabe Cowles and Samantha Roberts also served as editors. We thank Adam Freed of the Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability for his contributions as Director of the New York City Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. The Boston Consulting Group provided valuable expertise in bridging the worlds of science and stakeholders. We would also like to express sincere gratitude to Nancy Beller-Simms for her expert review. The information in this document reflects the views and opinions of the New York City Panel on Climate Change and not the City of New York. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 235 1. CLIMATE CHANGE & NEW YORK CITY 237 2. ADAPTATION AS A RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUE 239 3. ADAPTATION ASSESSMENT GUIDEBOOK 245 Step 1. Identify current and future climate hazards 247 Step 2. Conduct inventory of infrastructure and assets 248 Step 3. Characterize risk of climate change on infrastructure 251 Step 4. Develop initial adaptation strategies 255 Step 5. Identify opportunities for coordination 260 Step 6. Link strategies to capital and rehabilitation cycles 261 Step 7. Prepare and implement Adaptation Plans 262 Step 8. Monitor and reassess 263 4. ANNEXES 265 A. Infrastructure Questionnaires 267 Communications 268 Energy 270 Transportation 272 Water and Waste 274 Policy 276 B. The National Research Council's 2009 Report, Informing Decisions in a Changing Climate, and its relation to climate change adaptation in New York City 277 C. Other adaptation reports: summaries and links 279 5. GLOSSARY & ABBREVIATIONS 287 6. 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