Responding to Waves of Extreme Events: Long-Term and Short-Term Sustainability and Resiliency

April 15, 2020 | 10:00 AM PT

In the face of a changing climate and responding to COVID-19, city leaders are facing an altogether new reality and paradigm. For cities that lead on climate action, how can they balance addressing critical needs while driving ambitious sustainability and resiliency strategies? How do we design city systems to help the most vulnerable amid overlapping crises? Join us as we speak to sustainability leaders from two cities leading on climate action – Philadelphia and Fayetteville.

Peter will share initial lessons learned from their COVID response and solutions being deployed in Fayetteville such as: drop off recycling centers (curb-side pickup has ceased operations), city compost sales and potential delivery to residents (compost sales have skyrocketed as residents start their own gardens and food supplies), connecting local agriculture to pop-up markets and buyers (shuttered restaurants are no longer demanding local food), food access and security for residents, sustaining lowered VMT and GHG emissions, adapting city streets for walking and bike access, and more. By April 15, there will be more lessons learned to report out.

Christine will share how Philadelphia is continuing ​to implement its long-term sustainability and climate action strategy, clean energy infrastructure, ​and addressing heat resiliency in light of potential shelter in place requirements this summer. She’ll also share how her office sees climate change as a multiplier of risks for vulnerable and low-income communities, but also a multiplier of opportunities to grow with equity.

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