Great  Marsh  Coali.on  November  14,  2013  Loring  Schwarz  Mass  Audubon  

SANDY………..  

Climate  Change  Impacts  on  Nature  in  the  Northeast    

•  Habitat modification •  Habitat loss (e.g. sea level rise) •  Changes in species distributions •  Increase in forest insects and diseases •  Changes in timing of ecological events

�  Earlier flowering plants �  Earlier nesting for 28 migrating bird species

Northeast  Climate  Assessment  2013  

Key  Messages      1.  Heat  waves,  coastal  flooding  due  to  sea  level  rise,  and  river  flooding  due  to  

more  extreme  precipita<on  events  will  pose  a  growing  challenge  to  the  region’s  environmental,  social,  and  economic  systems.  This  will  increase  the  vulnerability  of  the  region’s  residents,  especially  popula<ons  that  are  already  most  disadvantaged.    

2.  Infrastructure  will  be  increasingly  compromised  by  climate-­‐related  hazards  including  sea  level  rise  and  coastal  flooding,  and  intense  precipita<on  events.    

3.  Agriculture  and  ecosystems  will  be  increasingly  stressed  by  climate-­‐related  hazards,  including  higher  temperatures,  sea  level  rise  and  coastal  flooding,  and  more  extreme  precipita<on  events.  A  longer  growing  season  may  allow  farmers  to  explore  new  crop  op<ons,  but  this  and  other  adapta<ons  will  not  be  cost  or  risk-­‐free,  and  inequi<es  exist  in  the  capacity  for  adapta<on.  

   4.  While  a  majority  of  states  and  several  municipali<es  have  begun  to  incorporate  the  risk  of  

climate  change  into  their  planning  ac<vi<es,  implementa<on  of  adapta<on    measures  is  s<ll  at  early  stages.    

The  Challenge  of  Climate  Change  

•  Mi.ga.on:    ‘Avoiding  the  Unimaginable’    (by  reducing  greenhouse  gasses….)  

•  Adapta.on:    ’Managing  the  Unavoidable’    (by  an.cipa.ng  and  planning  for  the  impacts  of  climate  change…..)  

 •  Educa.on:        Engaging  MassachuseSs  ci.zens  to  Understand  and  Commit  to    both  

 

   CLIMATE  CHANGE  AND  MASSACHUSETTS  FISH  AND  WILDLIFE:    Volume  2  HABITAT  AND  SPECIES  VULNERABILITY    

Global  Warming  Solu.ons  Act    Clean  Energy    and  Climate  Plan  for  2020      Climate  Change  Adapta.on  Report  

Climate  change…..    

Lead by Example:

Reduce Mass Audubon’s energy consumption and carbon footprint and use these activities as demonstration models for our members and the general public

Reduce Mass Audubon’s aggregate generation of greenhouse gases by 50% by the end of FY 2014 from a base year of FY 2003. The target encompasses Mass Audubon’s carbon footprint from heat, lights and vehicles and includes any new facilities or vehicles added during this period.

We estimate that we have achieved a 52.2% reduction in carbon emissions at the end of FY 2013 versus the FY 2003 baseline.

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Joppa Flats Nature Center - Green Building Features

Daylighting

High Performance Building Envelope

Rainwater Collection and Use to Flush Toilets

Recycled & Recyclable Materials

Occupancy Sensor Controls

Photovoltaic Array

GREEN BUILDINGS

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Mass  Audubon  climate  change  strategies  

EDUCATION    Mobilizing  the  Public    

CONSERVATION  Protec.ng  Nature  Through  Science-­‐  Based  AdaptaCon    

ADVOCACY  MiCgaCng  Through  Public  Policy  and  Advocacy  

Culture  of  Climate  Literacy  GWSA    leads  climate  policy  but….   To  reach  80%  goal….    

•  Public  educa.on  campaign  to  make  CC  a  priority  

•  People  must  understand  CC  •  Ac.ve  support  of  business,  

residents,  communi.es  •  Build  climate  protec.on  

into  our  Culture    •  Reach  youth  to  ACT,  VOTE,  

enter  GREEN  CAREERS  

The  role  of  Sanctuaries  in  crea.ng  a  culture  of  climate  understanding  

We  need  to  move  people  to  ACTION……  

Reaching  the  Next  Genera.on  

Mass  Audubon  Climate  Change  Strategies  

EDUCATION    Mobilizing  the  Public    

CONSERVATION  Protec.ng  Nature  Through  Science-­‐  Based  AdaptaCon    

ADVOCACY  MiCgaCng  Through  Public  Policy  and  Advocacy  

Mass  Audubon  Adapta.on  Policy  

•  STATE  WIDE  PLAN  – Elevate  Adapta.on  – Priori.ze    high  impact  strategies  – Use  nature  friendly  prac.ces  – Use  adapta.on/mi.ga.on  solu.ons  (strategic  land  protec.on,  forest  protec.on)  

•  Introduce  legisla.on    •  Engage  a  cons.tuency  •  Outreach  and  educa.on  

Global  Warming  Solu.ons  Act  IAC  Adapta.on      

     

•  EEA  AdaptaCon  SubcommiLee  (one  of  4  –  others  deal  with  Clean  Energy  and  Climate  Plan  measurement….)  •  Agency  representaCon  from  DCR,  DEP,  DFG,  DAR,  DOER,  

MassDOT  (MBTA,  Highways,  MassPort),  DPU,  CZM,  MassGIS  •  Federal  Partners:  USGS,  EPA  •  Regional  Partners:    MAPC,  NEIWPCC  •  Other:  TNC,  CLF,  Mass  Audubon,  UMass  Boston,  UNH,  UMass  

Amherst  

•  EEA  Workplan  •  Cross  Agency  Plan    •  Green  infrastructure  subcommiLee  

 

 

Protect  Built  Environment  AND  Natural  Systems  

Natures  Benefits:  Highlights:  Return  on  Investment  in  Parks  and  Open  Space  in  MassachuseSs:    For  every  $1  invested  in  land  conserva.on,  $4  in  natural  goods  and  services  is  returned  to  the  MassachuseSs  economy.  • Tourists  to  MassachuseSs  spend  an  es.mated  $16.9  billion  each  year  and  generate  $1.1  billion  in  state  and  local  taxes.  Tourism  supports  nearly  125,000  jobs    • Outdoor  recrea.on  generates  $10  billion  in  consumer  spending,  $739  million  in  state  and  local  tax  revenue,  90,000  jobs,  and  $3.5  billion  in  wages  and  salaries  each  year  in  the  state.    • Agriculture,  forestry,  commercial  fishing,  and  related  processing  ac.vity  are  responsible  for  $13  billion  in  output,  and  147,000  jobs  in  MassachuseSs.  

Mass  Audubon  Climate  Change  Strategies  

EDUCATION    Mobilizing  the  Public    

CONSERVATION  Protec.ng  Nature  Through  Science-­‐  Based  AdaptaCon    

ADVOCACY  MiCgaCng  Through  Public  Policy  and  Advocacy  

Federal    Ac.on  on  Adapta.on  

 President  Obama,  July  25,  2013:    

“Those  who  are  already  feeling  the  effects  of  climate  change  don’t  have  the  <me  to  deny  it  –  they  are  busy  dealing  with  it….  “  

•  Execu.ve  Order  enables  roads,  bridges  and  infrastructure    to  withstand  CC  

•  Interagency  Council  on  climate  preparedness  (CEQ)  •  Expect  recommenda.ons  on  barrier  removal,  incen.ves,  

and  moderniza.on  of  Federal  programs  

   Protec.ng  Nature  through  Science-­‐  based  

Adapta.on        •  PLAN  FOR  CLIMATE  CHANGE  on  our  lands  and  on  partner  lands  

•  PROTECT  LARGE  LANDSCAPES    

 

   

SackeS  Brooke  Dam  Removal  

Land  Protec.on  and  management  

Keep  monitoring…..  

Don’t  be  Overwhelmed!  

Pu\ng  Natural  SoluCons  to  Work:  Mainstreaming  protected  areas  into  climate  change  responses    

Connect  with  the  Outside  World  

The sea level rose 10 to 13 feet and filled streets and homes deep in the city, propelled by sustained winds of at least 140 miles per hour and gusts that were much stronger.

“It was a tsunami-like storm surge; it is the first time,” said Eduardo del Rosario, the executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Tacloban has been hit by typhoons for decades, but never had the sea risen high enough to pour over the swath of low salt marshes and inundate the city’s shady streets, he said.

Appreciate  Green  Infrastructure  

Make  New  Partners  and  Friends.  

When  in  doubt,  plant    or  protect  trees  

‘a  necklace  of  sea  walls’    Boston  Globe  Nov  10  2103  David  Dixon  

Entertain  and  Seek    Innova.ve  Solu.ons  

Apply  Adap.ve  Management  on  our  own  Policy  Framework  

•  Environmental  Bond  –  120K  coastal  infra;20K  coastal  restora.on;  coastal  buyback;  adapta.on  planning  funding.    

•  Water  Infrastructure  Bill    •  Green  Communi.es  Bill  –  include  adapta.on  

•  And  stay  tuned  for  Federal  Ac.ons…..    

Keep  Up  on  Local  Best  Prac.ces  

Join  Communi.es  of  Prac.ce  

Union  of  Concerned  Scien.sts  

Make  Climate  Change    ‘Dinner  Table’  Talk  

Adapt  and  Reduce  Emissions  through  Local  Power  Choices  

"It  works  because  we  just  know  each  other's  background,"  Ross  said.  "We  know  what  people  have  been  through  and  everyone  has  had  to  overcome.  Everyone  has  a  different  story,  but  we  all  worked  together  for  the  same  ending.“    Red  Sox  Catcher  David  Ross  

Get  more  done  by  working  as  a  TEAM  

PLUM ISLAND Behind us, a page of sand, open, preserves our tracks and the cuneiform of birds, monkish penmanship of seawrack glossed with crack-hinged razor clams, papery claws, dried bladders, crushed spirals, sticks, smooth stones; farther, beyond the dunes, a crabbed scrawl of brush says both winter and resurrection. Above us, gray cursive on gray sky, a paragraph of gulls edits itself, braiding the arguments of season and season into one cry. Before us, a long wave comes licking and licking again, foamy restless tongue on this brown manila beach where the sea folds and unfolds itself, still undecided how to begin again, how much to promise in its one blue letter. Rhina P. Espaillat Powow River Poet