CAF 2021: The Grand Adaptation Challenge

Thanks to the dedication of long-time environmental justice leaders and communities, calls for equitable and inclusive adaptation planning, decision-making, and implementation now reverberate throughout the adaptation community. Their calls are clear: Honor our inherent resilience and lived experiences. Authentically involve frontline communities in decision-making. Work in partnership with communities to dismantle unjust systems.

This track will focus on how to build momentum for equitable adaptation in ways that drive systemic change and deliver tangible benefits to historically under-served, under-represented, and under-invested communities.

Key challenge questions may include: How have communities worked to spearhead neighborhood-level climate resilience initiatives? How should decision-makers invest in and support California’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities to build climate resilience in ways that address historic and ongoing inequities? How can we ensure a just and resilient transition? What organizational changes would best support equitable community resilience?

The cascading and compounding impacts of climate change – from extreme heat, drought and wildfire to flooding and sea level rise – affect every segment of society. While our communities, ecosystems, built infrastructure, and economy all face threats, climate change disproportionately affects frontline communities and exacerbates existing inequities. The intersectionality of these challenges requires integrated solutions to address deficiencies in our systems, such as transportation, energy, public health, agriculture, water, emergency services, and communications..

This track will focus on frameworks for integrated planning that consider the full spectrum of climate impacts and sectors to deliver holistic solutions that address climate risks and vulnerabilities while meeting community needs.

Key challenge questions may include: How can we better prepare for near-term disasters while building adaptive capacity for long-term climatic changes? How should planners address uncertainty and the compounding and cascading impacts of climate change? How do we balance the need to build more affordable housing amid increased climate risk?

Local jurisdictions throughout California have been working to understand their climate risks and vulnerabilities, identify adaptation strategies, and develop adaptation plans. While this foundational work must continue to ensure that plans are strategic, aligned, and informed by community and science, communities are experiencing and witnessing climate-fueled disasters at an increasing pace. On-the-ground action and projects are urgently needed – across the entire state – to build the resilience of our communities, infrastructure, ecosystems, and economy.

This track will focus on opportunities to accelerate the implementation of climate adaptation strategies by tapping into existing assets, leveraging the power of partnerships, and unlocking new pathways for ongoing investment.

Key challenge questions may include: What early investments will enable long-term resilience building? How do we translate broad adaptation strategies into specific project requirements and metrics? How can we use public policy and public dollars to encourage private markets to build resilient communities? How do we finance landscape-scale adaptation solutions? How should public agencies and communities integrate adaptation solutions into capital improvement plans?