>>> TONIGHT, TEN YEARS AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY, WE HEAD TO THE FRONT LINES OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS FOR A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT NEW YORK'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

HOW NEW YORKERS ARE TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN THANES TO PROTECT HOMES AND SAVE LIVES.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- .

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THIS "METROFOCUS" PERIL AND PROMISE SPECIAL REPORT.

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

TEN YEAR AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY SLAMMED THE REGION, HOW READY ARE WE FOR THE NEXT SUPERSTORM?

A PATH OF DESTRUCTION STRETCHING FROM THE JERSEY SHORE TO LOWER MANHATTAN WE'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM TODAY NEW YORK CITY ALONE, THE STORM KILLED 43 PEOPLE, INFLICTED $19 BILLION IN DANIELS AND AWAKENED MANY NEW YORKERS TO THE HARSHEST REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

SINCE 2012, THE NORTHEAST INVESTED BILLIONS IN RESILIENCY EFFORTS TO PROTECT THOSE MOST VULNERABLE, BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND -- TODAY WE LOOK AT THE STORY A TWO COMMUNITIES.

IN EDGEMERE QUEENS A HEAVILY BLACK AND LATINO NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT HELPED BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AND RESIDENTS TO REIMAGINE EMPTY SPACES AND PROTECT AGAINST FLOODING.

RESIDENTS OF SIDNEY NEW YORK CONVENED AFTER TWO SO-CALLED STORMS OF THE CENTURY STRUCK THEIR VILLAGE IN A MATTER OF YEARS.

HERE ARE THEIR STORIES IN "COMMUNITY VISIONING: CREATING A SAFER FUTURE TOGETHER."

>> ROCKAWAY WAS IGNORED AND NEGLECTED BY THE CITY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY THIS PAST DECADE AFTER HURRICANE SANDY.

MANY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS.

BUT EDGEMERE WAS ONE THAT WAS SORT OF LEFT OFF THE MAP.

>> WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD UTILIZE PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED THROUGH TWO FLOODS.

>> THE LAST TIME A MAJOR DISASTER HAPPENED HERE WAS 2011.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER AT THAT TIME AND CAME UP WITH SOME GOOD PLANS ON HOW TO TRY TO RESTORE OUR VILLAGE AND ALSO TRY TO MITIGATE ANY FURTHER IMPACT TO THE RESIDENTS.

11 YEARS DOWN THE LINE, THE COMMUNITY VISIONING PROJECT HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES THAT GO INTO CREATING WHAT THAT COMMUNITY PORTRAIT OF EDGE MERE IS.

AND THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU DON'T SEE IF YOU DON'T LIVE ON THE BLOCK.

>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF WALKING AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE WAS, ARE THEY GOING TO TRUST ME WHEN I WALK UP TO THEM AND SAY, I'M A COMMUNITY PERSON, AND I'M HERE WITH SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

>> I MEAN, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THIS PROJECT IS I THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ONCE WE DEVELOP THIS PLAN, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED NEXT YEAR.

BUT WE NEED THEIR INPUT TO TELL US WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH DOWN THE ROAD.

>> WORK LIKE THAT IS OVERALL A WAY TO SORT OF GET THROUGH ALL THE TECHNICAL DETAILS AND GET TO STORIES.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE TELL YOU EMOTIONALLY ABOUT A PLACE THAT CAN HELP THE EXPERTS MAKE THAT PLACE BETTER FOR THEM?

>> WHEN WE FIRST MET WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WE FOUND OUT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THEY WERE UNDERSTANDING, THEY WERE EXCITED, AND THEY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED AND SEE WHAT WE WERE DOING HERE, AND IT WAS JUST A GOOD FIT FOR US.

>> YEAH, LIKE IT HELPED ME GAIN MORE PEOPLE SKILLS BUT ALSO TO BE A FACILITATOR TO GUIDE PEOPLE AND ALSO, LIKE, TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE LISTENING TO THEIR THOUGHTS ANDED WHYS AND FEELS AND LEARNING HOW TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE BIGGER GOAL.

>> THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS PROCESS IS SO WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER AND BRING BACK A CERTAIN MEASURE OF QUALITY OF LIFE.

>> THIS LAND IN EDGEMERE HAS BEEN BARREN FOR SO LONG, AND FINALLY WE CAN SEE THINGS FORMING ON THESE PIECES OF LAND.

AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE BEAUTIFUL, MORE CONNECTED, MORE ENGAGED, MORE ACTIVE.

I JUST WANT TO SEE PEOPLE BE HAPPY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH THE ECOSYSTEM THAT THEY SHOULD GET TO ENJOY.

>> ONE THING I DREAM AND HOPE FOR IS THAT THERE CAN BE JUST MORE CONNECTION WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY THAT'S NOT SO ISOLATED.

I HOPE THAT PEOPLE CAN KNOW, LIKE, THAT THE HELP AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED ARE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> I ENVISION FOR EDGEMERE THAT IT WILL LIVE UP TO BE THE COASTAL COMMUNITY THAT IT DESERVES TO BE AND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE CAN ENJOY THEIR COMMUNITY AND SHOW PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND IT MAY BE ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES THAT IT DESERVES TO BE.

>> AND JOINING US NOW TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AS PART OF OUR ONGOING PERIL AND PROMISE INITIATIVE ON THE HUMAN STORY OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS SOLUTIONS ARE DR. ALISON BRANCO, DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN NEW YORK.

DANIEL BORRERO, WHO WE JUST SAW IN THE CLIP.

HE'S THE FORMER PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE ROCKAWAY INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY, WHICH WORKS WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ON THE COMMUNITY VISIONING PROJECT IN EDGEMERE.

AND EDDIE BAUTISTA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WHICH SUPPORTS LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THE PROGRAM.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

>> SO, ALISON, LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU.

TEN YEARS AFTER SANDY, HOW RESILIENT ARE THE CITY AND THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OF THE REGION?

ARE WE AS VULNERABLE AS WE WERE ON THE OCTOBER 29, 2012, THE OR HAVE WE MADE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES?

>> WE HAVE MADE SOME ADVANCES SINCE 2012.

CERTAINLY WE HAVE A LOT MORE AWARENESS ABOUT THE RISKS OF FLOODING, WHERE THOSE RISKS ARE, AND WE ARE STARTING TO WORK ON PLANNING TO ADAPT TO ALL OF THOSE FLOOD RISKS.

HOWEVER, WE'VE ONLY DONE SOME PROJECTS IN A FEW AREAS TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE PLANS TO MAKE US MORE RESILIENT.

SO SOME HOMES WERE BOUGHT OUT.

SOME ON THE GROUND PROJECTS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN A FEW PLACES BUT WE HAVE A LONG, LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE EVERYONE IS SAFE AND RESILIENT TO FLOODING.

>> I'D LIKE TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOUR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING TO ACHIEVE RESILIENCY.

I'LL START WITH YOU, DANIEL.

WHAT UNIQUE CHALLENGES DID EDGEMERE FACE AFTER SANDY?

AND WHERE HAS THE GROUP THAT YOU WERE ONCE INVOLVED IN, WHERE HAS IT AND IT CONTINUES TO FOCUS ITS EFFORTS?

>> SURE, SO EDGEMERE AS A COMMUNITY IN THE ROCKAWAYS HAS FELT SORT OF IGNORED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY'RE SORT OF AT THE EDGE OF THE CITY, AND SO UNTIL SANDY HAPPENED, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE ATTENTION GIVEN TO EDGEMERE AT ALL.

BUT IT SORT OF RAMPED UP AFTER SANDY AS ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PENINSULA OVERALL, BUT IN A NOT EQUITABLE WAY.

SO RISE HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF TRYING TO ENSURE THAT EDGEMERE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE PENINSULA ARE RESILIENT.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR YOUNG STUDENTS TO BUILD UP THE DUNE SYSTEM SO MAKE SURE WE ARE PROTECTED FROM STORM SURGES ON THE OCEAN SIDE, AND THROUGH THE WORK I DID ON THE COMMUNITY VISIONING PROJECT, ENSURING THAT VACANT LOTS CLOSER TO THE BAY CAN BE USED AS FLOOD LOTS WHEN NEEDED BUT OTHERWISE USED TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT'S STILL THERE.

>> EDDIE, AS WE ALL KNOW, WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN, THEY USUALLY ARE -- ALMOST ALWAYS HAPPEN WORSE TO POORER COMMUNITIES, TO PEOPLE WITH LESS MEANS.

THAT IS YOUR AREA.

IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER SANDY?

AND IF SO, WHAT IS YOUR ORGANIZATION DOING TO HELP THOSE FOLKS?

AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC FOR THE FUTURE?

>> THANKS, RAFAEL, AND YOU'RE CORRECT, CLIMATE CHANGE IS GOING TO AFFECT EVERYONE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ITS IMPACTS ARE NOT EVEN APPLY FELT.

IF WE LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN THE AFTERMATH OF SANDY, JUST FROM PUBLIC HOUSING ALONE, 20% OF ALL PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTIES, 35,000 UNITS IN OVER 400 BUILDINGS, WERE IMPACTED SEVERELY BY SANDY.

64% OF RENTERS THAT WERE IMPACTED IN NEW YORK CITY HAD YEARLY HOUSEHOLD INCOMES BELOW $30,000, MAKING THEM AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY RATE.

SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF STATISTICS FROM SANDY'S IT.

IMPACTS.

BUT WE KNOW HISTORICALLY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE SUFFER -- EVERYTHING FROM ASTHMA RATES FROM BLACK AND LATINO CHILDREN BEING AT LEAST TWICE AS HIGH AS WHITE NEIGHBORS AND OTHER NEW YORKERS AS WELL AS IF YOU LOOK AT STUDIES BY NYU, EVERYONE FROM NYU TO THE NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER FOUND THE BRONX HAS THE HIGHEST AGE ADJUSTED ASTHMA RATE.

YOU PICK THE INDICATOR, YOU FIND BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AT RISK.

AND MY ORGANIZATION AND OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR YEAR EVEN BEFORE SANDY AND SINCE THEN TO IDENTIFY THE DISPROPORTIONATE OUR COMMUNITIES FACE, AND PUSH THE POWERS TO FIGHT THOSE.

>> ARE THEY LISTENING?

>> AFTER A FASHION, BUT I THINK ALISON AND DANIEL TOUCHED ON IT BEST IN THAT THE KIND OF ATTENTION MUST BE PAID IS OF THE COURSE THAT COULD IMPACT ALL CITY AND STATE AGENCIES.

THERE'S A LEVEL TO DETAIL AND CLIMATE PREPAREDNESS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ACROSS ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.

>> SO, ALISON, AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, AND AS WE SAW IN THE CLIP, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON AT EDGEMERE AND SIDNEY.

HOW ELSE AND WHERE ELSE ARE YOUR EFFORTS BEING FOCUSED ON TO DEAL WITH RESILIENCY, TO INCREASE OUR RESILIENCY TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS?

>> A LOT OF THE EFFORTS THAT NEW YORK HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN ARE MUCH LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN EDGEMERE.

SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON THE GROUND THAT ARE ENGAGED WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND DOING GREAT ORGANIZING WORK ALREADY, TRYING TO SUPPORT THEM AND BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HURDLES THEY FACE IN CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AND IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE A LOT A THEM.

WE'RE TRYING TO HELP BOTH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GET OVER THOSE HURDLES BUT COMMUNICATE THEM TO STATE FUNDERS SO THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR PROGRAMS AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR COMMUNITIES TO GET FUNDING THEY NEED TO DO THE PROJECTS.

>> AYE GOT MATERIAL FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION WHICH TALKED A LOT ABOUT, IS IT THE BLUE BELT THAT YOU'RE DEVELOPING?

WHAT IS A BLUE BELT AND WHERE ARE YOU TRYING TO CREATE AND DEVELOP IT?

>> THE BLUE BELL IS NOT OURS.

IT'S A NEW YORK CITY INITIATIVE.

IT'S PART OF THEIR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

SO MANAGING THE RAIN WATER THAT'S FALLING ON THE HARD SURFACES AND TRYING TO DIRECT IT WHERE IT CAN INFILTRATE THE GROUND.

AFTER HURRICANE SANDY THERE WAS A COMMUNITY ON STATEN ISLAND THAT WAS CLAMORING FOR BUYOUTS.

TO HELP GET SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY GOT INVOLVED AS A MIDDLE AGENCY TO HOLD THE LAND TEMPORARILY FROM THE TIME IT WAS BOUGHT OUT UNTIL IT COULD BE TURNED OVER@CITY AND INCORPORATE TO THE BLUE BELT.

NOW THOSE HOUSES HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN.

THE FOLK WHO IS VOLUNTARILY WANTED TO GET OUT OF THOSE HOMES MOVED ON ELSEWHERE.

THE HOUSES HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN, AND NOW THAT OPEN SPACE IS BEING INCORPORATED INTO THE BLUE BELT, WHICH HELPS THE CITY MANAGE STORM WATER, HELPS THE COMMUNITY HAVE LESS RAINWATER FLOOT FLOODING AND ALSO WHEN THERE'S NOT FLOODING PROVIDES A GREAT OPEN SPACE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY OUTDOORS.

>> PEOPLE WHO MOVED OUT OF THE AREAS THAT BECAME BLUE BELT IN STATEN ISLAND AND -- YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM WERE IN HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THEIR FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.

I IMAGINE FROM WHAT I'VE READ THAT THAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF CHANGING, REIMAGINING ANY COMMUNITY IS HAVING PEOPLE MOVE AWAY FROM THESE VULNERABLE AREAS.

I LIKE -- WELL, LET ME START WITH YOU, DANIEL.

HOW DIFFICULT, FIRST OF ALL, IN GENERAL, WAS IT FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU WERE WORKING WITH TO REIMAGINE THE COMMUNITY, TO PUSH FOR AND ACCEPT FUNDAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION?

>> YEAH.

FOR SURE.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE PEOPLE IN EDGEMERE WERE DEFINITELY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO OUR FIRST FORUM.

WE HELD THREE COMMUNITY FORUMS THROUGHOUT THE END OF 2021 INTO THE BEGINNING OF 2022 FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND EXPRESS THEIR IDEAS AND DESIGNS.

THE FIRST ONE WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD IN PERSON, AND PEOPLE WERE EXCITED TO BE BACK WITH ONE ANOTHER, SEE ONE ANOTHER, AND GET TO TALK ABOUT STUFF.

IT WAS HARD FINDING, YOU KNOW, THE BEST TIME FOR EVERYONE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ADAPT TO PEOPLE'S WORK SCHEDULES, TO PEOPLE'S LIFE SCHEDULES.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO HOST IT HOSTLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, BUT WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE EVERYONE IN THE ROOM THAT WE WANTED.

SO AFTER FORUM ONE, WE MADE A REALLY BIG PUSH JUST TO GO DOOR TO DOOR IN EDGEMERE WITH FLIERS AND PUT THEM IN MAIL BOCKS, SLIP THEM UNDER DOORS TO GET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY LIVING BY THESE LOTS TO COME OUT AND HAVE A SAY IN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE HOMES NEXT TO THEM.

THAT WAS FRUITFUL.

WE GOT A LOT MORE PEOPLE BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE SECOND FORUM.

IT WAS STILL A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE AS THE EXPERTS CONVEY INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT FEELS EMPATHETIC AND THOUGHTFUL TO THE CHALLENGES THE PEOPLE IN EDGEMERE HAVE FACED?

WE KEPT WORKING ON YOU THAT THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORK WE DID WITH PEOPLE, AND THEY DID COME UP WITH AMAZING IDEAS.

AND NOW THE TASK IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS FEASIBLE BASED ON THE GUIDELINE AN AREA THAT'S IN A VULNERABLE SPOT LIKE THIS, AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE?

>> ALISON, TEN YEARS AGO WE WERE COVERING THE STORM 24/7, AND THROUGH THAT COVERAGE AND THE COVERAGE IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AFTER, WE CONTINUALLY HEARD FROM THE EXPERTS AND FROM SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT STORMS OF THE CENTURIES LIKE SANDY WERE GOING TO BECOME A HECK OF A LOT MORE FREQUENT.

SINCE THEN WE HAD IAN, IDA, WE HAD MARIA, WE HAD HARVEY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

WERE THE PREDICTIONS BORN OUT?

IS THAT PROOF THAT IN FACT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING?

>> I THINK IT IS PROOF THAT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WE'RE VERY LUCKY IN THIS DAY AND AGE PLANNING FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH GOOD SCIENCE TO TELL US WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE, AND NOT JUST HURRICANES BUT NOR'EASTERS, INLAND STORMS WHERE IT'S RAIN AND NOT A COASTAL STORM.

WE'RE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT PREDICTING THESE THINGS AND THE SCIENCE TELLS US THE FREQUENCY IS INCREASING AND I THINK WE'RE ABSOLUTELY SEEING THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE IT INCREASING OVER TIME.

>> EDDIE, HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

MAYBE THE OTHER GUESTS CAN DO THE SAME THING.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THOSE WHO ARGUE THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DEVASTATING HURRICANES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE GALVESTON HURRICANE THAT KILLED 8,000 PEOPLE IN 1900, AND THAT IN FACT THE DAY, THE HURRICANES WILL LESS FREQUENT THAN THEY WERE IN THE PAST?

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> I GOT TO TELL YOU, RAFAEL, THAT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE THAT OLD SAYING ABOUT WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD, WHICH IS BOTH IRONIC AND TO THE POINT.

I THINK TO SOMEHOW CLAIM THIS IS PART OF A NATURAL SYSTEM JUST IGNORES THE FACT THAT OVER THE LAST -- SINCE SANDY, TEN YEARS -- EVERY YEAR HAS BEEN THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD.

WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN NOT JUST NUMBER OF STORMS BUT THE INTENSITY OF THOSE STORMS.

LOOK NO FURTHER THAN IDA.

IDA WAS NOT A STORM SURGE EVENT LIKE SANDY.

IT WAS HEAVY RAIN.

BUT IT WAS ALSO THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WE HAVE SEEN IN A ONE-DAY PERIOD IN NEW YORK, WHICH WAS BEATEN OUT A WEEK OR SO LATER OR THE WEEK BEFORE.

IT'S HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THESE RECORD BREAKING SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.

I WILL TELL THAW MY GROUP, THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE, OUR MEMBERS, WE HAVE BEEN BREAKING OUR BACKS FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS IN AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT BUCKETS.

YOU'VE GOTTEN MITIGATION, WHICH MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT WE'RE PRODUCING.

THERE'S ADAPTATION, WHICH ALISON MENTIONED, AND DANIEL AND FOLKS IN EDGEMERE WERE WORKING ON AS WELL.

HOW DO WE LIVE?

CLIMATE CHANGE IS UPON US.

WE CAN'T BLOCK IT ANYMORE.

HOW DO WE ADJUST AND ADAPT TO THE SITUATION?

THEN THERE'S THE RESILIENCY POINT, WHICH YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

RESILIENCY, WHICH DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

THIS NOTION OF RESILIENCY MEAN YOU GET TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT TO CONDITIONS THAT WERE THERE BEFORE.

BUT IF YOUR CONDITIONS AS A COMMUNITY WERE BESET BY DISRACIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE DESIGNED OR IF NOT DESIGNED HAVE THE OUTCOME OF HAVING DIFFERENT IMPACTS FOR DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, DO WE REALLY WANT TO BOUNCE BACK TO AN INEQUITABLE SYSTEM OR BOUNCE FORWARD TO A SYSTEM THAT CENTERS RACIAL AND INCOME DISPARITIES WE ALL KNOW TOO WELL?

>> I SEE DANIEL AND ALISON ARE NODDING, SO I'LL GOING MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION.

LOOK LIKE YOU AGREE.

DANIEL, THE NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER JUST ISSUED A REPORT WHICH SHOWS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT AS OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR, LESS THAN 75% OF THE $15 BILLION ALLOCATED TO THE CITY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH RESILIENCY HAS BEEN SPENT, AND THAT ONLY 62% OF THE FEMA MONEY FOR SANDY GRANTS HAS BEEN SPENT.

DID THAT SURPRISE YOU, OR IS THAT PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.

YOU KNOW, NOT PUTTING THESE IMPORTANT RESILIENCY PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON FRONT AND CENTER.

AND TO GET BACK TO WHAT EDDIE WAS SAYING, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY SHORTSIGHTED WHEN IT COMES TO ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCY, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME WHY WE WOULDN'T WANT OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE RESILIENT ANY WAY, NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE WEATHER SYSTEMS AROUND YOUR GLOBE.

IF COMMUNITIES ARE RESILIENT, THEN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IGNORED AND MISTREATED IN THE PAST CAN FIND WAYS TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH WITH THE PROTECTION NECESSARY TO ENSURE THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE MONEY ISN'T BEING GIVEN TO THOS KINDS OF PROJECTS AS IT SHOULD BE.

>> ALISON, ARE YOU SURPRISED SO LITTLE HAS BEEN SPENT OF THOSE DIFFERENT FUNDS?

AND HAS THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT BEEN SPENT WISELY?

>> I'M NOT SURPRISED.

DISAPPOINTED FOR SURE, BUT NOT SURPRISED.

AND IT'S NOT ONLY NEW YORK CITY.

HAS HAPPENED IN THE ENTIRE SANDY IMPACT AREA, AND THIS HAPPENS AFTER MANY DISASTERS WE LIKE TO THINK OF SANDY AS AN UNPLANNED PILOT PROJECT.

WE WEREN'T REALLY READY FOR IT.

DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT'S BEST EFFORT TO BRING A LOT OF MONEY TO BEAR ON THE PROBLEM, THERE WERE NO PLANS IN PLACE.

THERE WERE NO -- WE DIDN'T HAVE A TO-DO LIST TO SPEND MONEY ON.

SO ALL THAT HAD TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE MONEY COULD GET SPENT, AND THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TIME.

THESE DOLLARS ALWAYS HAVE A TICKING CLOCK ON THEM.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF FUNDING UNSPENT.

THAT'S TRUE HERE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL.

AS FAR AS, HAVE WE SPENT IT ON THE RIGHT THINGS?

I THINK SOME PLACES WE HAVE AND SOME PLACES WE HAVEN'T.

ONE THING THAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST IS OFTENTIMES WE ARE THINKING VERY SHORT-TERM AND WE'RE PRIORITIZING SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SPLASH.

HARD HATS AND GOLDEN SHOVEL PRESS CONFERENCES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING BUT THAT ONLY ARE GOING TO HELP A LITTLE BIT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOR A SHORT TIME.

AND SOMETIMES THOSE PROJECTS EVEN CAN CREATE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY IN UNSAFE PLACES OR REINVEST IN THE FLOOD ZONE.

IDEALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK LONGER TERM AND LOOK AT THOSE LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS AND PRIORITIZE THOSE.

>> SO I'M GUESSING THAT COVID AND THE LOCKDOWN HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH DELAYING THE PROJECTS FOR RESILIENCY, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, DID WE LEARN ANY LESSONS?

DID THOSE INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE -- WERE THERE ANY LESSONS ON HOW THE GOVERNMENT DEALT WITH THE PANDEMIC THAT THE CLIMATE CHANGE PEOPLE CAN TAKE?

>> WELL, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED A LOT OF THE SAME DISPARITIES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE EVENTS LIKE SANDY AND IAN AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN HIGHLIGHTS, RIGHT?

WITH THE ONSET OF COVID, LITERALLY WITHIN A MONTH OF THE SHUTDOWN HERE IN NEW YORK, WE WERE ALREADY SEEING DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS OF DEATHS AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS IN EXCESS OF THEIR REPRESENTATION IN THE POPULATION.

IT'S LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU SEE A SYSTEMIC ATTACK ON YOUR SOCIETY WHETHER IT'S CLIMATE CHANGE OR A PANDEMIC, IF YOUR SOCIETY WAS INEQUITABLE TO BEGIN WITH, WHY WOULD WE BE SURPRISED IF THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO ALSO BE INEQUITABLE.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN TERMS OF THE WORK, WHETHER IT'S MITIGATION, ADAPTATION, RESILIENCY, NOT JUST MY ORGANIZATIONING BUT A LOT OF OUR ALLIES AND MEMBERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING ON A RANGE OF POLICIES, EVERYTHING FROM MITIGATION WE HELPED PASS IN 2019 THE STRONGEST CLIMATE CHANGE LAW AMONG THE STATE CALLED THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP PROTECTION ACT.

IT'S 100% NET ZERO EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLANNED FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK ECONOMY WIDE BY 2050.

WE GOT PASSED IN NEW YORK CITY THE CLIMATE MOBILIZATION ACT, WHICH GOES AFTER THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, WHICH ARE THE CITY'S BUILDINGS.

WE ALSO GOT PAST CONGESTION PRICING WHICH IS ONLY NOW GETTING IMPLEMENTED, WHICH IS AN ATTEMPT TO GO AFTER THE OTHER 30% OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT'S JUST ON MITIGATION.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ADAPTATION, OUR MEMBERS ARE DOING AMAZING WORK.

SEEING THE LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND ASSEMBLY HUB IN THE UNITED STATES COMING TO THE BROOKLYN WATER FRONT.

THE POINT IN THE SOUTH BRONX IN TERMS OF RESILIENCY, LAUNCHED THE BUDDY PROGRAM, WHICH INTENDS TO LINK NEIGHBORS WITH EACH OTHER IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S WHAT MAKES COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.

TRUE, THE PANDEMIC SLOWED THINGS DOWN, BUT IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TO WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

>> I'D LIKE TO GET THE ANSWER FROM ALL OF YOU.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC WE'LL NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO FACE BUT OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE SURE TO COME WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> I THINK I AM, YEAH.

YOU GOT TO STAY OPTIMISTIC IF THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

>> ALISON?

>> WE HAVE GOOD INFORMATION AND PEOPLE ARE AWARE NOW.

WE'RE MUCH BETTER OFF THAN WHEN SANDY HIT US.

>> EDDIE?

>> I'M A CYNICAL OPTIMIST.

I LOOK FORWARD TO IT, BUT KNOW WE GOT TO SPANK PEOPLE TO GET THINGS DONE.

>> PEOPLE SEEM TO BE HEARING AT LEAST THE THREE OF YOU, BECAUSE YOU SHOULD BE HEARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

IT'S BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING, AND WE HOPE TO TALK AGAIN AS THE YEARS PROGRESS ARCS THE BATTLE CONTINUES.

THANK YOU.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.