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Low Carbon Resilience: Finding Synergies Between Mitigation and Adaptation
ACTAdaptation
to Climate
Change Team
September 19, 2017Edward Nichol, Senior Researcher, ACTLivable Cities ForumMitigation and Adaptation: From Antagonists to Allies for the Development of Resilient Urban EnvironmentsVictoria, BC
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• Introduction
• Background
• LCR in Today’s Political Climate
• Incorporating Resilience Into a Low Carbon Future
• Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services
• The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience
• Final Thoughts
Outline
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• Earth’s commitment to climate change
• Separate issues, fragmented solutions
• Loss of stationarity
• Biodiversity and natural systems threats
• Complimentary approach
Introduction
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• Mitigation + Adaptation
• Window of opportunity
• Win-wins, co-benefits for natural systems, infrastructure, municipal costs, etc.
What is Low Carbon Resilience (LCR)?
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• Environmental hazards (extreme storms, drought, wildfire, flooding)
• Financial strains at the municipal level
• Policy fragmentation
Background – The Canadian Context
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• LCR history in Canada
• Adaptation + Mitigation + Sustainable Development (AMSD)
• Sustainability + Adaptation + Mitigation (SAM)
• Maladaptation
• Gaining traction
Background – Defining and Positioning LCR
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• The Paris Agreement
• UN SDG’s
• Sendai Framework
• The IPCC
LCR in Today’s Political Climate – The International Scale
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• Mandate letter to the Minister of the Environment: Reducing emissions, protecting communities
• Low carbon economy
• New Liberal budget –$125 million for infrastructure, $518 million for local infrastructure
• Adaptation/mitigation grants
LCR in Today’s Political Climate – New Federal Approaches
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•Putting a price on carbon
•Taxes, trading mechanisms, combination approaches at provincial/national level
•Revenues: Investing in adaptation
•Reducing the municipal financial strain
Incorporating Resilience into a Low Carbon Future:
Mitigation Through Carbon Pricing
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• Sense of urgency – shifting to renewables
• Low carbon economy – national, provincial, municipal
• Planning for resiliency:• Disruptions to energy supply
• Avoiding costly refurbishments, relocations, upgrades
Resilient Renewables and Energy Systems
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• LCR in energy: Solar, geothermal, district energy • Resilient due to decentralized
design
• Preserving natural systems: Building on the existing footprint
• Risks to energy systems: • Hydropower in California
Resilient Renewables (continued)
Lucid Energy
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• Heat trends
• Urban Heat Island (UHI)
• Particular importance for LCR: Energy needs, cooling needs
• Green infrastructure: trees, parks, rain gardens, green roofs
Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Extreme Heat
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• Impermeable infrastructure in cities impacts drainage
• Ecosystem-based solution: Slowing and storing water
• Reducing the need for carbon/energy intensive processes, providing carbon storage
Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Stormwater and Flooding
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• Active/public • Evacuate, pre-designated evacuation locations, shelter in place
Low Carbon Resilience and Transportation Systems
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• Soil Health
• The agroecology approach
• Carbon storage potential in soil
• No-till, cover cropping, etc: restorative agriculture
• Healthy soils and carbon/water storage
• Avoiding the “weather whiplash”
• Education and collaborative farm programs
Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services: Soil Health
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• Improve biodiversity, link habitat, reduce fragmentation
• Species migration, extinction
• Wildlife “arks”
• BC’s Future Forest Ecosystems Initiative
Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Ecosystem Health
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• Natural capital: geology, soil, air, water, living systems
• Ecosystem Services: Provisional, regulatory, habitat/supporting services, cultural services
• Natural asset management
• Property value
The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience:Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services
• Town of Gibsons
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• Municipalities and the infrastructure deficit: $123B, growing $2B/yr
• Extreme event costs
• Infrastructure is aging
• New infrastructure lasts 50-100 years, extreme weather increasing
• Updating codes, standards for LCR
The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience:Preserving Infrastructure and the Costs of Inaction
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Funding and Finance Tools
Internal Revenue
• Financing
• Borrowing
• Reserve Funds
• Climate/Green Bonds
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
• Funding
• Property Taxes
• Tax Levy
• Local Improvement Charge (LIC)
• User Fees
• Development Cost Charges
External Revenue
• Federal Gas Tax
• Intergovernmental Grants
• Public-Private Partnerships
• CARIP Grant (BC Only)
• Carbon Fund
Innovative Programs
• Local Incentives and Rebates
• LIC Financing
• Density for Benefit Agreements
• Natural Area Tax Exemption
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Applying tools in conjunction with:
• Active/transportation corridor• Disaster mitigation• Mixed use, low carbon housing• Biodiversity / habitat protection• Renewable energy • Health• Art/community engagement • Mayoral pet-projects• Major infrastructure investment
Exploring Funding Overlap/Gap/Packaging Options
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Version: Sep 2017
Adaptation Mitigation Infrastructure
Title
Amount
Status
Description
Ask the Climate
Question
#1
Green Resilience Matrix Identifying Climate Adaptation + Mitigation Synergies
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP INVESTMENTS? (A, M, I)
INVESTMENTS
Mitigation Opportunities
Infrastructure Investment
Adaptation Opportunities
Infrastructure Investment
Adaptation Opportunities
Mitigation Opportunities
Green Resilience Matrix
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• Mitigation alone is insufficient, we have to implement LCR
• Responding holistically to increasing uncertainty
• Low carbon movement
• Facilitating ecosystem services
• LCR as a mindset
Concluding Thoughts
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For more information about ACT, our policy reports, and adaptation resources, please
go to act-adapt.org, or contact us at [email protected] .
For more information about Green Resilience Strategies, contact Steve Winkelman at
[email protected]
ACTAdaptation
to Climate
Change Team
Thank you! Questions?