SDRCC is excited to share the second post of our 2-part Climate Adaptation Blog Series  Approaches and Strategies to Integrate Equity into Adaptation Planning.  Building off of our first adaptation blog, readers will learn about equitable stakeholder engagement, identifying starting point vulnerabilities, how to conduct a vulnerability assessment, and opportunities to integrate equity into all phases of climate adaptation projects.https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-sdclimate/1025/thumbnail.jp

Berry, Darbi

Robidas, Michelle

English

University of San Diego

University of San Diego Digital USD San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative The Nonprofit Institute 2022 Approaches and Strategies to Integrate Equity into Adaptation Planning Michelle Robidas Darbi Berry Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-sdclimate  Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons APPROACHES ANDSTRATEGIES TOINTEGRATE EQUITY INTOADAPTATION PLANNINGSan Diego Regional Climate Collaborative EQUITABLESTAKEHOLDERENGAGEMENT  A crucial step for successful communityengagement during all planning phases of aclimate adaptation process is to first appropriatelyidentify and thoughtfully connect with all relevantstakeholders. Identifying and engaging with allpotential stakeholders is important for buildingand maintaining trust, iterating on potentialsolutions, and sharing information. Stakeholderscan include but are not limited to: individualcommunity members such as local people andorganizations; small businesses or communitybased organizations; other local agency plannersfrom neighboring cities, and representatives;national and state government agencies, tribalgovernments, and academic and researchinstitutions. MOVING BEYONDPREPLANNINGBy initiating the adaptation planning process withan equity-first approach, practitioners shouldgrow a deeper understanding of who will beimpacted by the proposed adaptation strategies,who to engage, and what opportunities exist toholistically enhance community resilience. To dothis, practitioners must identify their social equitycommunities, connect their adaptation planningefforts to the four dimensions of equity, andadjust proposed adaptation strategies based onintentional community feedback. Additionally, arobust community engagement strategy shouldbe in place for the duration of the adaptationprocess, from pre planning to implementation.Finally, the adaptation strategies and projectsidentified should build both organizational andcommunity capacity.   Other strategies to identify communitystakeholders include targeting specificdemographics and community behaviors suchas vulnerability to specific climate hazardsand stressors (extreme heat, flooding),renters versus home ownership or housingcost-burden, food insecurity, transportationaccess, and occupation (outdoor labor,seasonal jobs). To make sure all stakeholdersare included, practitioners should collaboratewith community groups and leaders to identifyall relevant stakeholders.  IDENTIFYINGSTARTING POINTVULNERABILITIESEnsuring historically marginalized voices areamplified is critical; beyond engaging withstakeholders, practitioners should alsorecognize the connection between present-day structural inequities and past actions ofinstitutions, systems, and sectors (1). Thesedeep-root causes, known as starting pointvulnerabilities, are crucial for practitioners toaddress in order to build communityresilience. Figure 1 below defines starting-point vulnerabilities and provides an exampleof how historic redlining relates to severalpresent-day vulnerabilities (2). Identifyingunjust systems helps effectively targetexisting inequities, which will increaseadaptive capacity and lead to transformativeadaptation (3). Sectors connected eitherindirectly or directly to climate impacts, suchas housing or high-polluting industries, maybe target areas that can help accelerateadaptation efforts. WHAT IS A STARTING POINTVULNERABILITY?REDLININGPOTENTIALIMPACTADAPTIVECAPACITYA deep root cause that producesvulnerability and inequity in the first place.They are embedded in unequal processes,institutions, and systems (6). Below are thesome of the present-day inequities  associated with the starting pointvulnerability of historic redlining (7). Figure 1: Definition of starting-point vulnerabilities, usingredlining as an example. MEASURINGVULNERABILITYStakeholders and starting point vulnerabilitieshave been identified, informing the practitioner ofthe community’s climate hazards, needs, andassets…now what? In Phase 2, practitionersperform a vulnerability assessment (VA). In short,a VA identifies and characterizes the climatehazards and other climate impacts a communitywill face across multiple time horizons (4).Specifically it quantifies how vulnerablepopulations, natural resources, and communityassets are against climate change (5). In total,there are four major steps to complete a VA:exposure, sensitivity and potential impacts,adaptive capacity, and outreach andengagement.  For an equity-first approach, communityengagement should be ongoing and it isimportant to consider how demographics andsocioeconomic factors influence acommunity’s sensitivity to climate change.Figure 2 below gives an example of avulnerability assessment, with a high-leveloverview of each of the steps.Figure 2: Summary of the four steps of a VulnerabilityAssessment, which is the major outcome of Phase 2 ofclimate adaptation planning. SENSITIVITYLevel to which a systemwould be affected byexposure to a changingclimatePotential effects on asystem based on itsexposure and sensitivityto a climate hazardThe ability to moderateharm or exploitopportunitiesVULNERABILITYThe degree to which natural, built, and humansystems are susceptible to harmEXPOSUREPresence of systems inareas that are subject toclimate hazardsIncreased rent-burden &disparities in communityinfrastructureIncreased exposure to heatand flooding riskDecreased access togreen spaceSUMMARY OF BESTPRACTICESBefore beginning any climate adaptation planningprocess, practitioners must be aware of howhistoric prejudice and racism, along with currentclimate impacts, may exacerbate pre-existingsocial inequities and serve an important role inidentifying effective adaptation strategies. Everyassumption of the adaptation strategy – who isvulnerable, what are the community’s needs andexisting assets, and who are the stakeholders –should also be identified by the community itself.The most successful adaptation strategies andprojects not only engage with the communitythroughout the process but actually empower thecommunity to become leaders of the strategies,and help gain support and momentum throughimplementation. Practitioners must deeply understand andeffectively incorporate the four dimensions ofequity into Phases 0-4 of climate adaptationplanning. Figure 3 summarizes the major outputsof Phases 1-4 of as well as their equityopportunities. Prioritizing equity, communityengagement, and practitioner learning andaccountability through community evaluation arebest practices for adaptation. Throughcommunity-led accountability and monitoringmethods, the most impactful adaptationstrategies have the opportunity to shift andevolve according to feedback, local changes, andnew available data. The adaptation strategies are meant to buildcommunity capacity and directly benefit thecommunity by addressing starting-pointvulnerabilities. By carefully implementingequity-first best practices into each phase ofthe adaptation planning process, practitionerswill be able to produce an effective climateadaptation plan that improves a community’sresilience.PHASE 1: EXPLORE, DEFINE, AND INITIATEIdentifies what potential climatehazards a community might facealong with its essential physical,social, and natural assets. Requires understanding how acommunity’s systemic inequitiesrelates to its hazards whilemeasuring its vulnerability to climateimpacts.Requires understanding how acommunity’s systemic inequitiesrelates to its hazards whilemeasuring its vulnerability to climateimpacts.Practitioners conduct a vulnerabilityassessment, which characterizes theclimate hazards and impacts acommunity will face in the near andfar-distant future.PHASE 2: ASSESS VULNERABILITYPHASE 3: DEFINE ADAPTATION FRAMEWORK ANDSTRATEGIESOUTPUT EQUITY-FIRSTPractitioners design an adaptationframework, which provides thecommunity strategies to address thepotential for harm identified in thevulnerability assessment.Adaptation strategies consider acommunity’s resources, goals,values, needs, and regional context.It is crucial for practitioners topractice transparency and collectdirect input from the community toestablish shared goals for adaptationand resilience.PHASE 4: IMPLEMENT, MONITOR, EVALUATE, ADJUSTOUTPUT EQUITY-FIRSTEnsures the implementation of the adaptation framework andstrategies continue to be effectiveand supported by the community. It is the most critical phase inmeasuring the impact of adaptationstrategies Implementation is directly evaluatedby community members, holdingpractitioners accountable that theadaptation strategies provide directbenefits that address thecommunity’s starting-pointvulnerabilities and self-identifiedneeds. OUTPUT EQUITY-FIRSTOUTPUT EQUITY-FIRSTFigure 3: Summary of Phases 1-4 ofClimate Adaptation Planning,including main outcomes of eachphase and opportunities to integrateequity.  The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative was established in 2011 as anetwork for public agencies to advance climate change solutions and is currentlyhoused at The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego. SOURCESMartin, C.a.L., Jamal The State of Equity MeasurementA Review for Energy-Efficiency Programs. 2019, The Urban Institute. Buul, A., et al. Climate Safe Neighborhoods. 2021; Available from: https://gwmke.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=55e6a62e73094543a5 122e894126c775.San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative and San Diego Association of Governments, "An Equity-First Approach to Climate Adaptation" (2022). SanDiego Regional Climate Collaborative. 19. https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-sdclimate/19. An Equity-First Approach to Climate Adaptation (2022).Cal-OES, California Adaptation Planning Guide. 2020: Mather, CA.Shi, L. and S. Moser, Transformative climate adaptation in the United States: Trends and prospects. Science, 2021.Reynolds, H.L., et al., Implications of climate change for managing urban green infrastructure: an Indiana, US case study. Climatic Change, 2020. 163(4):p. 1967-1984. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.

Approaches and Strategies to Integrate Equity into Adaptation Planning

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Approaches and Strategies to Integrate Equity into Adaptation Planning

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