BOSTON John Cleveland Boston Green Ribbon Commission 2017 BOSTON - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CLIMATE READY BOSTON

John Cleveland Boston Green Ribbon Commission 2017

BOSTON FROM 1611 TO 2016: A CITY BUILT ON “MADE LAND”

2 From Krieger, Boston Over Time

TODAY: A BOOMING WATERFRONT

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WITH SOME SERIOUS CHALLENGES NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM

Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Already Underway Named Hurricanes Passing Within 50 Miles

• f Boston (1850-2014)

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BUT - WE’VE TACKLED SOME BIG PROBLEMS BEFORE…

Boston Harbor Cleanup The Big Dig

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THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF GREAT IDEAS…

Living With Water Competition

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AND WE CAN LEARN FROM OTHER CITIES

New York City Post Sandy About 60% of the GNP

• f the Netherlands is

produced below sea level

CLIMATE READY BOSTON: PHASE I

Sc Scien ience-based ed cons consensus of lik likely ely rang ranges for r futu uture clim climate te cond condit itio ions acro across multi multiple e ris risk facto actors for seve several l time time perio eriods Co Comprehen ensive eva evalu luati tion of futu uture ris risks ass associa iate ted with ith each each of three three clim climate ate haz hazards: extre extreme heat, heat, sto stormwate ter flood looding g and and coas coastal al and and riv river erine flo looding Set Set of

• f ac

actio tions to to addr address the the key ey ris risks iden identifi ified in in the the Vuln ulnerabil ilit ity Ass sses essment. . Rec Recommen endati tions for

• r

execu execution of resili resilien ence initiat initiatives es, inc inclu ludin ing respo responsible e parties arties and and miles milestones

Climate Consensus Vulnerability Assessment Resilience Initiatives Implementation Roadmap 1. 2. 3. 4.

BOSTON RESEARCH ADVISORY GROUP: SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS ON CLIMATE PROJECTIONS

• 30 member

team from area universities

• Extreme

Temperatures

• Extreme

Precipitation

• Sea Level Rise:

Coastal & Riverine Flooding

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MORE HOT DAYS

AFFECTING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Low Income Population and Heat Exposure Older Adults and Heat Exposure

By 2060, heavy precipitation events could drop more than 6 inches of water within 24 hours, which is the height of an average city curb, and 20% more than what we get now.

MORE INTENSE PRECIPATION

CAUSING MORE STORMWATER FLOODING

MORE EXPOSURE TO COASTAL FLOODING AS SEA LEVEL RISES

Why Sea Level Rise?

• Thermal expansion
• Melting glaciers
• Melting ice from

Greenland and Antarctica

• Not Arctic ice
• Boston has minimal

freeboard

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SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS

LIMITED DATA ON TRENDS IN STORM INTENSITY AND FREQUENCY, BUT PHYSICS ARE CLEAR

FLOOD PROGRESSION

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In the near term, exposure will be concentrated in South Boston, East Boston, Charlestown, and Downtown, and represents a significant threat to these neighborhoods and the rest of the city.

15% 15%

COASTAL & RIVERINE FLOODING

25%*

X%

Average Monthly High Tide 10% Annual Chance Flood 1% Annual Chance Flood % of Neighborhood Exposed to 1% Annual Chance Flood

2030s-2050s

25%

* Excludes Logan Airport

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By the middle of the century, exposure will increase across waterfront neighborhoods, and start to be significant in Dorchester.

35% 30% 10%

FLOOD PROGRESSION

COASTAL & RIVERINE FLOODING

50%*

X%

Average Monthly High Tide 10% Annual Chance Flood 1% Annual Chance Flood % of Neighborhood Exposed to 1% Annual Chance Flood

2050s OR LATER

50%

* Excludes Logan Airport

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In the late century, exposure will expand to vast areas of the city, including inland neighborhoods like the South End and neighborhoods along the Charles River.

55% 60%* 45% 60% 20% 10% 15% 70% 5%

FLOOD PROGRESSION

COASTAL & RIVERINE FLOODING

X%

Average Monthly High Tide 10% Annual Chance Flood 1% Annual Chance Flood % of Neighborhood Exposed to 1% Annual Chance Flood

2070s OR LATER

* Excludes Logan Airport

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FLOOD PROGRESSION

COASTAL & RIVERINE FLOODING

PEOPLE AND BUILDINGS EXPOSED TO FLOODING

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POPULATION BUILDINGS BUILDING VALUE

PEOPLE AND BUILDINGS EXPOSED TO 1% FLOOD RISK:

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18,000 People 2000 Buildings valued at $20 Billion today 2030 + 85,000 People 12,000 Buildings valued at $85 Billion today 2070 +

Asset Inventories conducted for each focus area. While the Blue and Silver Lines have the greatest initial exposure, the Red and Orange Lines account for a growing proportion of exposed stations

• ver time.

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

2030s-2050s 2050s-2100s 2070s or Later

SEA LEVEL RISE SCENARIOS

EXPOSURE OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

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DOWNTOWN

FLOOD PROGRESSION

DOWNTOWN 25

2030s-2050s In the near term, the waterfront from Union Wharf to the Aquarium, as well as inland areas near Faneuil Hall and North Station, will be exposed to coastal flooding, with the most frequent exposure (10% annual chance) concentrated around the Aquarium.

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2070s OR LATER In the late century, exposure to high-probability flooding (10% annual chance) will spread to much of Downtown, with areas from Lewis Wharf to the Aquarium and inland to Faneuil Hall exposed to high-tide flooding at least once a month.

FLOOD PROGRESSION

DOWNTOWN

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In the late century, with 36 in. of SLR and a 1%

1% annual chance flood

event…

47%

• f Downtown’s

current population will be exposed to flooding

1,200

• f Downtown’s

existing buildings will be exposed to flooding

$3.1

billion

in economic losses will

• ccur from flooding

Downtown

DOWNTOWN

FLOODING IMPACTS

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EAST BOSTON

FLOOD PROGRESSION

EAST BOSTON 29

2030s-2050s In the near term, exposure will be concentrated near the East Boston Greenway, Central Square, and the Sumner/Callahan Tunnel entrances.

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2070s OR LATER In the late century, exposure will extend to much of Logan Airport, and large areas around the Greenway and Central Square will flood at least monthly.

FLOOD PROGRESSION

EAST BOSTON

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SOUTH BOSTON - SEAPORT

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2030s-2050s

FLOOD PROGRESSION

SOUTH BOSTON

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2070s OR LATER

FLOOD PROGRESSION

SOUTH BOSTON

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EAST BOSTON

FLOOD PROGRESSION

EAST BOSTON 35

2030s-2050s In the near term, exposure will be concentrated near the East Boston Greenway, Central Square, and the Sumner/Callahan Tunnel entrances.

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2070s OR LATER In the late century, exposure will extend to much of Logan Airport, and large areas around the Greenway and Central Square will flood at least monthly.

FLOOD PROGRESSION

EAST BOSTON

IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 CONTEXT

Boston’s population is growing.

723,500

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“Many of the areas where Boston will gr grow ar are exp exposed to floodin ing ri risk as as se sea lev evels ri rise. . By gr growing in n the hese ar areas, , Boston is s co commit itting to pro protectin ing them. . Al Although we we do do no not kno know al all the mec echanisms for pro protection yet, , Boston is s inv nvestin ing in de developing local cal cl climate pl plans for r vuln ulnerable ar areas. . The hese pl plans wi will identify mul ultilayered inv nvestments ne needed to en enab able cl clim imate-ready gr growth. . Boston wi will app approach this is topic dy dynamical ally, , re regularly gat gather th the most up up-to to-date inf nformation, , and and re respond to new information as we have it.”

FROM IMAGINE BOSTON 2030: THE CHALLENGE AHEAD

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36 inches SLR

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

ENGAGE & PREPARE COMMUNITIES

PROPOSED STRATEGIES:

• Engage Bostonians as partners
• Co-create neighborhood plans
• Provide training for jobs in resilience

ADAPT BUILDINGS

PROPOSED STRATEGIES:

• Use future-oriented flood maps
• Update zoning & building codes

for new buildings & major renovations

• Audit existing buildings for retrofits
• Develop new financing tools and

incentives

• Promote access to insurance.

PROPOSED STRATEGIES:

• Establish ICC
• Develop climate ready standards

for planning and design

• Integrate resilience with ongoing

capital planning and upgrades

• Set up neighborhood energy grids
• Use green infrastructure/work with

nature to reduce impacts

INCREASE RESILIENCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE

PROTECT VULNERABLE SHORES

PROPOSED STRATEGIES:

• Investigate options for flood

protection & smart development

• Use a layered approach to
• ptimize protection

East Boston: Near Term Shoreline Protection Concepts

EAST BOSTON LONGER TERM SHORELINE PROTECTION CONCEPTS

Potential Harbor Barrier Alternatives

ASSESS FEASIBILITY OF HARBOR-WIDE COASTAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

HARBOR BARRIER EXAMPLE

Maeslant Storm Barrier, Rotterdam

Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier:

• The world’s largest moveable barrier
• Part of a system to protect the Port and

City of Rotterdam from flooding during coastal storms

• Constructed between 1991 and 1997

and in operation since

• Each storm surge door is the length of

the Eiffel Tower: 240 meters each

• Cost to build: 450 million Euros

• Public Engagement: How to reach and

involve vulnerable neighborhoods?

• Housing: How to retrofit existing housing

and ensure district-wide resilience for new affordable housing?

• Governance: How to institutionalize

resilience planning and investment, adapt

• ver time?
• Financing: How to ensure an equitable

approach to resilience solutions?

• Momentum: How to maintain it in the

absence of immediate threats?

IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES

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CLIMATE READY BOSTON

climateready.boston.gov