The Office of Climate Resilience will become a component of the city's Environment, Energy, and Open Space cabinet, concentrating on safeguarding residents against challenges such as rising sea levels, inland flooding, and extreme heat.
Chris Osgood, the new director of the Office of Climate Resilience, stated that the office aims to expedite the city's advancement in addressing the climate challenges it encounters by facilitating the transition from well-thought-out plans to impactful actions. The Office of Climate Resilience is tasked with coordinating efforts among city departments, community groups, and residents to ensure the swift, equitable, and effective implementation of the recommendations from the Climate Ready Boston plans. Among its urgent priorities is the expansion of Boston's tree canopy.
Boston boasts close to 48 miles of shoreline, a significant portion of which is at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and storm surges. Since the mid-1950s, sea levels in the Boston area have increased by more than 7 inches. Projections suggest that by the 2030s, sea levels could rise another 10 inches above the levels recorded in 2010. The Office of Climate Resilience is set to launch with a team of six staff members, each with prior experience in resilience initiatives within the Environment Department.
Educating a diverse population about the grave impacts of climate change on the quality and longevity of life is often a daunting task. Organizations and nonprofits, like Black Coral Inc in Boston, are typically swamped with work. Mayor Wu's climate agenda recently encountered an obstacle when the Boston Zoning Commission rejected a proposal that sought to move up the deadline for new buildings to meet net-zero emission standards from 2025 to 2050. Last year, Boston experienced 19 days of high-tide flooding and is projected to face 20 or more days this year, surpassing any other city in the Northeast, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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