Abstract
Civic leaders have increasingly relied upon local climate adaptation plans to identify vulnerabilities, prioritize goals, and implement actions in order to prepare cities for the present and projected effects of global climate change. The concept of sustainability is central to these efforts, as climate adaptation discussions are often framed within the context of economic resilience, environmental protection, and social vulnerability. For urban centers, the climate change issue presents unique challenges for each of these dimensions, however its potential impacts to marginalized populations are extensive. This study draws from the ‘just sustainabilities’ perspective, and applies the concepts of distributive and procedural justice to examine whether, and to what extent, U.S. cities prioritize social equity concerns in adaptation plans. We perform a qualitative analysis of climate adaptation plans prepared by 22 of the 100 largest U.S. cities. We find that social equity concerns are particularly prominent in local-level climate adaptation discussions, relative to those concerning environmental quality and economic development.
Presenters
Duran FiackAssistant Professor, Political Science, Lehman College, City University of New York, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Sustainability, Climate Adaptation Plan, Cities, Social Equity, Climate Change
