Prevent and Prepare. We must both reduce GHG emissions (mitigation) and plan for resilience to climate change impacts (adaptation).

ASK THE CLIMATE QUESTION. Are your policies and investments reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience? 

A+M = Adaptation + Mitigation synergies.  "Green Resilience" solutions that both cut GHGs and enhance climate resilience can accelerate climate action by attracting funding for both mitigation and adaptation. Integrated climate planning can reduce duplication of efforts, avoid missed efficiency opportunities and prevent building-in future vulnerability.

Experience:

• Green Resilience Overview - the why, what and how of adaptation + mitigation synergies (2020)

• Toronto Climate Resilience Framework, with SSG for the City of Toronto 2019.

• Low Carbon Resilience: Best Practices for Professionals (Simon Fraser University). We are pleased to have developed a conceptual model and diagram for integrating adaptation and mitigation planning and action.

• Ontario Community Emissions Reduction Planning: A Guide for Municipalities. In collaboration with SSG , Green Resilience Strategies prepared this guide with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC 2018). 

• Taking Action on Green Resilience: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Synergies Findings from a workshop at the 2017 ICLEI Canada Livable Cities Forum in that brought together 40 public and private sector climate change practitioners from across Canada with expertise in urban planning, municipal policy, energy systems, buildings, engineering and communication. . (Click to download, scroll down to read online).

• Blue, Green and Grey Infrastructure a summary of examples and benefits for the 2017 ICLEI Canada Livable Cities Forum.

• Transportation Systems Resilience: Effective measures and research needs, Keynote presentation for National Science Foundation: National Workshop on Resilience Research (2015)

• Green Resilience: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Synergies (CCAP 2014)
  Lessons learned on integrated climate change planning based on a 2014 workshop at the 14th National Conference and Global Forum on Science, Policy and the Environment Conference. Co-hosted by CCAP and the National Climate Assessment’s network (NCAnet) Adaptation + Mitigation Nexus (AMNex) affinity group, and supported by the Surdna Foundation.

• Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs (CCAP and EESI 2012)
  Findings from a workshop funded by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that brought together transportation and climate professionals to identify critical support needs for adapting their practices to climate change.

• The Value of Green Infrastructure for Urban Climate Adaptation (CCAP 2011) Information on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure for urban climate adaptation including data, examples, research implications and recommendations for climate extension services.

• Lessons Learned on Local Climate Adaptation (CCAP 2011) Insights from three years of the Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative

• ASK THE CLIMATE QUESTION: Adapting to Climate Change Impacts in Urban Regions (CCAP 2009) the fundamental framing of CCAP’s Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative provides examples of how 10 partner cities are planning for and adaptation to climate change.

• CCAP Transportation GHG Reduction Incentive Program (CCAP 2009) A proposal from the CCAP VMT & Climate Policy Dialogue to create a new incentive-based program for state governments, MPOs and local governments to reduce transportation GHG emissions. It would provide funding via allowance revenues from a GHG cap-and-trade system to help states and MPOs set and implement transportation GHG reduction goals and help create a framework for reducing GHG emissions in federal transportation policy.

• CCAP Travel Data and Modeling Recommendations to Support Climate Policy and Performance-Based Transportation Policy (CCAP 2009)

• Transportation and Domestic Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading (CCAP 2000) an early, influential paper framing a comprehensive approach for reducing transportation GHG emissions that includes price signals, vehicle technology advances and urban planning solutions to reduce travel demand (vehicle miles traveled).

Legislative Briefings

• Expert testimony to US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: “Transportation’s Role in Climate Change.” July 14, 2009.

• US Congress, Staff briefing, “Domestic and International Adaptation Funding.” Co-hosts: Congressmen James McGovern and Donald Payne. May 1, 2009.

• Expert testimony to US House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, “Planning Communities for a Changing Climate.” June 18, 2008 (video excerpt below)