The climate will continue to change even as greenhouse gas emissions come down. Some changes, such as sea-level rise, heat waves, and increases in storm intensity or frequency, pose major risks to Boston, its infrastructure, its tax base, and its residents. For these reasons, Boston has a responsibility to prepare for climate change, even as we work to lessen its impacts. Climate adaptation-preparing for the different local environmental conditions that result from climate change-is an essential part of climate action.
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Climate Ready Boston Announcement
On Tuesday, February 5th, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced new planning and policy initiatives to better prepare Boston for Hurricane Sandy-like storms and other effects from the changing climate. He also heralded the release of The Boston Harbor Association’s report, Preparing for the Rising Tide, which outlines vulnerabilities of Boston’s coastline and recommends actions to address them.
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Projected Climate Impacts
If current climate trends continue, heat waves and smog alerts are projected to become more frequent in Boston. Flooding from coastal storms will become more common and more extensive. These, in turn, will affect the health of residents and visitors, the safety of neighborhoods, the success of business and institutions, the viability of plants and animals in local parks, and the ability of the government to cope with short-term emergencies and longer-term stresses. Potential costs for medical care, property and infrastructure repair, and lost opportunity figure in the billions of dollars. There is uncertainty about the speed at which these things occur, but they have started.
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Prepare for climate extremes
An important part of climate adaptation planning is knowing what to do in the event of extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change.
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Growing Boston Greener
Mayor Menino has committed to planting 100,000 new trees in Boston by the year 2020. By increasing the city's tree canopy cover by 20%, Grow Boston Greener will make our city a healthier place to live and visit, improve air quality, provide shade, and help to lower energy consumption.
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Boston Complete Streets
The new Complete Streets approach puts pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users on equal footing with motor-vehicle drivers. The initiative aims to improve the quality of life in Boston by creating streets that are both great public spaces and sustainable transportation networks. It embraces innovation to address climate change and promote healthy living. The objective is to ensure Boston's streets are multimodal, green and smart.
