>>> 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.
