At a session of the American Planning Association (APA) Federal Policy Briefing, Nancy Beller-Smith, Program Manager, Sector Applications Research Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Tom Peterson, President / CEO, Climate Strategies; Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); and Kathy Dedrick, Professional Staff Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), discussed the critical role of planning in the fight against climate change, as well as current sustainable city and community planning ideas and programs.
Nancy Beller-Smith, Program Manager, Sector Applications Research Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said her program was one of the few interdisciplinary programs focused on climate and social sciences in the U.S. government. NOAA is tracking both climate variability (short-term changes) and change (long-term movements in temperatures) across regions and sectors. Urban planning is at the forefront of tools for dealing with climate change. To illustrate this idea, Beller-Smith said that according to NOAA climate modelling the average temperatures in Vermont will be similar to those in Tennessee by 2099. Planners (along with landscape architects and architects) will need to factor in these types of potential changes and deal with the challenges involved in adapting communities to higher temperatures.
Specifically, the design professions can assist with combating climate change by creating more compact urban developments; preserving open spaces / farmland; designing cities and communities so there are reductions in vehicle miles; developing coastal areas plans and post-disaster plans; and leading the creation of multi-sector partnerships.
Beller-Smith pointed to the NOAA’s National Climate Service as an “idea in progress,” saying that NOAA is assessing climate impacts / adaptation plans, and recently created a National Drought Information System. Droughts and water planning also need to be factored into long-term urban planning. Beller-Smith pointed to the King County Adaptation Guide as a useful best practice on climate change and planning.
Tom Peterson, Center for Climate Strategies, has worked with more than 40 U.S. states on developing comprehensive climate action plans. According to Peterson, 31 states now have climate action plans that cover 2/3 of the U.S. population and economy. Passing a comprehensive climate change bill in the U.S. Congress will be extremely difficult, Peterson thinks, and argues that states will come up with many innovative solutions for addressing climate change. “Planning and collaboration is far easier at the state and local levels. Building consensus is hard to do within the Beltway.” Within states, governors have the power to convene.
Peterson views climate action plan development as “product development” — plans are products that must serve state and community needs. Furthermore, 80 percent of conflict resolution is focused around how the policy is actually put into place. As a result, using the concept of ”freedom of choice”, flexible energy-efficiency and mitigation and adaptation programs are key. Additionally, Peterson said it was important that climate action plans don’t exclusively focus on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but also include a focus on renewable energy development and pollution reduction.
States may move faster and more effectively on climate change than the Federal government. The total aggregation of state-mandated emissions reductions may push reduction levels below the Federal targets now being discussed in the U.S. House and Senate. Peterson argued for a “bottom-up” approach to reduction targets and thinks Congress should look more to states for solutions. According to Peterson, 50 full comprehensive climate action plans across the U.S. would save USD 28 billion, create a USD 37 billion economic expansion, and 148,000 new jobs.
Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) drew attendees attention to a recent, comprehensive NRDC report “Moving Cooler: An Analysis of Transportation Strategies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (see press release). The transportation sector accounts for more than 20 percent of GHG emissions, and changes are needed in land-use planning and infrastructure investment to reduce congestion, improve livability, create economic development opportunities, and limit emissions.
In the short-term, Lovaas argues that speed limits, congestion pricing, eco-driving, and expanded transit use are the most effective strategies for reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector.
Learn more at Lovaas’s blog at NRDC.
Kathy Dedrick, Professional Staff Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) outlined elements of the recently announced U.S. Senate climate change bill, including provisions on transportation (see earlier post).
