Earth Institute News Archive
ALERT: Please note the date of this news release. You may be reading about findings that have changed significantly or about programs and faculty no longer at the university. To check if there is updated information available, search the Earth Institute website.
posted 03/05/02
Climate Extremes and Change:
Decision-Making in the New York Metropolitan Region
Regional Responses To Climate Change
Cities for Climate Protection
Resolution No. 1923 was passed on June 29, 2001 by the New York City
Council, making New York City a Climate Protection City and supporting the
initiation of plans and implementation activities that would reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in the City. The Resolution follows principles of the Cities
for Climate Protection campaign developed by the International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), which has been adopted by more
than 500 cities. http://www.iclei.org
High Performance Buildings
The New York City Department of Design and Construction developed High
Performance Building Guidelines, a set of design and implementation guidelines
that maximize operational energy savings while minimizing detrimental environmental
impacts of building construction and operation. A key feature and benefit
of high performance building is the reduction of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gas emissions that accompanies decrease in energy use.http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/ddc/html/highperf.html
Metropolitan East Coast Assessment
One of the regional components of the National Assessment of the Potential
Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the United States, Climate
Change and a Global City investigated the potential impacts of climate variability
and change on the natural systems and human activities of the New York metropolitan
region. The Report was published by the Columbia Earth Institute in July
2001. http://metroeast_climate.ciesin.columbia.edu
Follow-on research activities currently underway include:
• Health: Columbia University's Mailman School of
Public Health has received an EPA Star grant to lead a multi-university
study that examines future scenarios of global climate change and regional
land-use change as drivers of changing local climate and air quality. The
study will also develop improved tools for assessing urban health risks
due to heat stress and air quality changes.
Contact: Joyce Rosenthal jr438@columbia.edu
• Storm Surge: The Marine Sciences Research Center,
Stony Brook University, has begun a two-year evaluation of the hydrologic
feasibility of storm surge barriers to protect the central part of the metropolitan
New York and New Jersey region from flooding.
Contact: Douglas Hill dhill@ms.cc.sunysb.edu
• Climate Change Information System: CIESIN at Columbia
University will develop a climate change information system focused on the
New York metropolitan area. Information needs for coastal zone and transportation
system managers will be determined through interviews and focus groups.
Contact: Roberta Balstad Miller rbmiller@ciesin.columbia.edu
Governor's Task Force on Greenhouse
Gases
Gov. Pataki's Task Force has been working since June 2001 to consider
specific policies that will reduce New York's greenhouse gas emissions.
A Report and Action Plan are expected in the spring of 2002.
New York State Greenhouse Gas
Action Plan
Developed by NYSERDA and NYSDEC, with citizen input from the New York
City Greenhouse Gas Working Group, the New York State Greenhouse Gas Action
Plan projects state-level impacts on greenhouse gas emissions for a variety
of technologies, reviews existing initiatives, and offers suggestions of
programs and institutional implementation at state and local levels. For
information, email winifred@rpa.org
New York State Energy Plan
The State's major energy policy is currently available for input and
review. The Energy Plan, issued every four years, affects State budget and
operating priorities. Public hearings are being held through March 2002.
The plan is available in pdf format in the "what's new" section at: http://www.nyserda.org.
About The Earth Institute
The Earth Institute at Columbia University is the world's leading academic
center for the integrated study of Earth, its environment and society. The
Earth Institute builds upon excellence in the core disciplines — earth
sciences, biological sciences, engineering sciences, social sciences and
health sciences — and stresses cross-disciplinary approaches to complex
problems. Through research, training and global partnerships, it mobilizes
science and technology to advance sustainable development, while placing
special emphasis on the needs of the world's poor. For more information,
visit www.earth.columbia.edu.