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NE CSC PI Radley Horton Speaks about "Evolving Resiliency: Managing Climate Risks in the Northeast"

Monday, July 21, 2014

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is holding a briefing (available as webcast) examining the current and projected impacts of climate change in the Northeast and regional efforts to manage these risks. NE CSC Principal Investigator Radley Horton, convening Lead Author of the National Climate Assessment Chapter on the Northeast, will be speaking.

The Northeast is home to approximately 64 million people and is one of the most built-up environments in the world. Since much of the population and infrastructure is located along the coast, this region is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as was most clearly seen when Hurricanes Irene and Sandy struck in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Between 1958 and 2010, the Northeast experienced a 70 percent increase in the amount of precipitation falling during very heavy events.

The Third National Climate Assessment (NCA), which was released on May 6, projects that climate change will further threaten the region’s environmental, social, and economic systems. While many of the states and municipalities in the Northeast have developed plans to mitigate and adapt to the threats of climate change, implementation is still in the early stages. How have federal, state, and local government initiatives acted to increase resiliency against current and future impacts of climate change? What more can and should be done to reduce these risks?

More information available at http://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/072514northeast