Climate change and variability, energy and disaster management: produced risks without produced solutions: rethinking the approach

Accelerated climate change and increasing climate variability is the single largest threat to the international goals of sustainable development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and disaster risk reduction. Global discourses recognise the need for effective and sustainable responses tso produced climate risks. The risk types likely to occur are known, but only in broad terms - their scale, severity, longevity and frequency are not known. The challenge for policymakers is developing an effective framework within which sustainable responses can be formulated. To address the problems of produced risks a comprehensive approach to risk management is necessary. The mechanisms within the climate change, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction discourses are not sufficiently effective or integrated to respond to this challenge. Fundamental reform to current modes of risk reduction is needed, but this can only be achieved through a shift in the dominant perspective on formulating sustainable responses. This requires a shift to an enabling policy framework that encourages bottom-up resilient responses. Resilience is argued as a tool for policy development that can enhance adaptive capacity to current climate risks and shape energy policy to respond to mitigate future climate risks

Building Climate Change Resilience in Columbus through University and Community Engagement

During the past four years, the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (BPCRC) has contributed to the development of a climate risk and vulnerability report that subsequently resulted in an effort to create a Climate Change Action Plan for the city of Columbus. This process involved conversations and focus groups with stakeholders and technical experts, from both on- and off-campus, to synthesize a document usable by city leaders and local decision makers. Stakeholders have included individuals from city government, public utilities, businesses, nonprofits, and the faith community. During the project, the State Climate Office of Ohio helped identify experts, and The STEAM Factory provided a convenient meeting venue. This project has established BPCRC as a local and regional facilitator of conversations around scientifically vetting climate information and moved Columbus toward becoming a more climate resilient community. This presentation will include an overview of the draft Columbus Climate Change Action Plan and process by which it was created.AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Aaron Wilson, Senior Research Associate, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and The Ohio State University Extension, [email protected] (Corresponding Author); Jason Cervenec, Education and Outreach Director, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center; Geoff Dipre, Doctoral Candidate, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center.The Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (BPCRC) has contributed to the development of a climate risk and vulnerability report that subsequently resulted in an effort to create a Climate Change Action Plan for the city of Columbus. This process involved conversations and focus groups with stakeholders and technical experts, from both on and off campus, to synthesize a document usable by city leaders and local decision makers. Stakeholders have included individuals from city government, public utilities, businesses, nonprofits, and the faith community. The State Climate Office of Ohio helped identify experts, and The STEAM Factory provided a convenient meeting venue. This project has established BPCRC as a facilitator of conversations around scientifically vetting climate information and moved Columbus toward becoming a more climate-resilient community. This poster will include an overview of the draft Columbus Climate Change Action Plan and process by which it was created