In the Spotlight
Cities of the Future 2010 (March 7-10, Boston, Massachusetts) will bring together a diverse group of practitioners, researchers and policy-makers who share a vision of an improved urban landscape for future generations. The conference will host interdisciplinary discussion required to create sustainable urban infrastructure that will meet the challenges of the 21st century and the interdependent engineered and natural systems that will characterize Cities of the Future.
Urban River Restoration 2010 (March 7-10, Boston, Massachusetts) will focus on the role of revitalized urban rivers and waterfronts within the context of two major trends: an increased focus on sustainable practices to benefit the environment, and a population shift back to cities, which leads to a renewed emphasis on a livable urban environment.
Confronting Climate Change: An Early Analysis of Water and Wastewater Adaptation Costs was recently released by NACWA and AMWA. The report estimates climate change adaptation costs that the nation’s drinking water and wastewater utilities are expected to face in the decades ahead. According to the analysis, the cost of climate change adaptation for U.S. water and wastewater systems could total between $448 billion and $944 billion through 2050.
The Source Water, Climate & Carbon Connection by Tracy Mehan III, Dr. Chi Ho Sham, Charles Hernick & Jane Obbagy, Water & Wastes Digest, November 2009, Volume: 49 Number 11
The imperative to reduce carbon emissions, or to mitigate their impacts on the global climate, is leading to many opportunities to create incentives for source water protection initiatives that would improve water quality, achieve human health goals and reduce or at least mitigate climate change via carbon sequestration. At the same time, these incentives can save money and generate multiple environmental benefits such as new habitat, restored natural flows, landscape protection and aesthetics.
Water World: Why the Global Climate Challenge is a Global Water Challenge
The Global Public Policy Network on Water Management (GPPN) has launched a report to make the case for water as a critical consideration for climate change. GPPN is a joint initiative of Stakeholder Forum and Stockholm International Water Institute, working with global stakeholders to identify priorities for the international water agenda, and communicate those priorities to decision-makers.
California Releases 12-part Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
California's Natural Resources Agency released a report last week recommending a 12-part climate change adaptation strategy that was endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, among others. Among the recommendations: creation of a climate adaptation advisory panel, staffed by business and government leaders, to further assess the level of risk facing California; pursuit of more reservoirs and water projects to address strained water supplies; implementation of a statewide conservation target to cut water use by 20 percent by 2020; a directive to state agencies to avoid new development in areas prone to erosion, flooding and wildfire; and expanded use of the California Environmental Quality Act to force managers of infrastructure projects to consider their contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.