Climate change raises many profound questions about the future of cities. How will cities adapt and build resilience to more frequent and severe extreme weather events? How will they change their infrastructure and energy systems to move toward a zero-carbon future? As researchers, planners, and policymakers grapple with these questions, an emerging, cross-cutting theme is the issue of equity: what will climate adaptation and mitigation mean for less advantaged residents and communities? who will have a voice in climate-related decisions and actions? where are the leverage points for building a resilient and equitable urban future? This emphasis on equity is not only front and center for urban communities but is also foundational for federal efforts such as the Justice 40 Initiative, as well as the environmental and climate justice movements more generally. This talk will explore opportunities, challenges, and synergies associated with bringing equity into resiliency planning in urban areas. The talk will draw from the author’s work on equity-based community adaptation in the U.S. Northeast.
Robin Leichenko is Professor of Geography at Rutgers University and co-Director of the Rutgers Climate Institute. Her current research explores the economic and equity impacts of climate change with a focus on the northeastern United States. Dr. Leichenko serves as co-chair of the fourth New York City Panel on Climate Change, an independent 20-member advisory body that synthesizes scientific information and advises city policymakers on local resiliency and adaptation strategies. Dr. Leichenko previously served as a review editor for Working Group II of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Leichenko has authored or co-authored three books and more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Her book, Environmental Change and Globalization: Double Exposures (2008, Oxford University Press, with Karen O’Brien), won the Meridian Book Award for Outstanding Scholarly Contribution from the American Association of Geographers. Her latest book, Climate and Society: Transforming the Future (with Karen O’Brien) was published by Polity Press in 2019.
This event is approved for 1 AICP CM, equity, sustainability and resiliency credit. To claim your CM credits, log into your My APA account on the APA website and enter the event into your online CM event log.
