Low Carbon Resilience: Finding Synergies Between Mitigation and Adaptation

ACTAdaptation

to Climate

Change Team

September 19, 2017Edward Nichol, Senior Researcher, ACTLivable Cities ForumMitigation and Adaptation: From Antagonists to Allies for the Development of Resilient Urban EnvironmentsVictoria, BC

• Introduction

• Background

• LCR in Today’s Political Climate

• Incorporating Resilience Into a Low Carbon Future

• Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services

• The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience

• Final Thoughts

Outline

• Earth’s commitment to climate change

• Separate issues, fragmented solutions

• Loss of stationarity

• Biodiversity and natural systems threats

• Complimentary approach

Introduction

• Mitigation + Adaptation

• Window of opportunity

• Win-wins, co-benefits for natural systems, infrastructure, municipal costs, etc.

What is Low Carbon Resilience (LCR)?

• Environmental hazards (extreme storms, drought, wildfire, flooding)

• Financial strains at the municipal level

• Policy fragmentation

Background – The Canadian Context

• LCR history in Canada

• Adaptation + Mitigation + Sustainable Development (AMSD)

• Sustainability + Adaptation + Mitigation (SAM)

• Maladaptation

• Gaining traction

Background – Defining and Positioning LCR

• The Paris Agreement

• UN SDG’s

• Sendai Framework

• The IPCC

LCR in Today’s Political Climate – The International Scale

• Mandate letter to the Minister of the Environment: Reducing emissions, protecting communities

• Low carbon economy

• New Liberal budget –$125 million for infrastructure, $518 million for local infrastructure

• Adaptation/mitigation grants

LCR in Today’s Political Climate – New Federal Approaches

•Putting a price on carbon

•Taxes, trading mechanisms, combination approaches at provincial/national level

•Revenues: Investing in adaptation

•Reducing the municipal financial strain

Incorporating Resilience into a Low Carbon Future:

Mitigation Through Carbon Pricing

• Sense of urgency – shifting to renewables

• Low carbon economy – national, provincial, municipal

• Planning for resiliency:• Disruptions to energy supply

• Avoiding costly refurbishments, relocations, upgrades

Resilient Renewables and Energy Systems

• LCR in energy: Solar, geothermal, district energy • Resilient due to decentralized

design

• Preserving natural systems: Building on the existing footprint

• Risks to energy systems: • Hydropower in California

Resilient Renewables (continued)

Lucid Energy

• Heat trends

• Urban Heat Island (UHI)

• Particular importance for LCR: Energy needs, cooling needs

• Green infrastructure: trees, parks, rain gardens, green roofs

Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Extreme Heat

• Impermeable infrastructure in cities impacts drainage

• Ecosystem-based solution: Slowing and storing water

• Reducing the need for carbon/energy intensive processes, providing carbon storage

Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Stormwater and Flooding

• Active/public • Evacuate, pre-designated evacuation locations, shelter in place

Low Carbon Resilience and Transportation Systems

• Soil Health

• The agroecology approach

• Carbon storage potential in soil

• No-till, cover cropping, etc: restorative agriculture

• Healthy soils and carbon/water storage

• Avoiding the “weather whiplash”

• Education and collaborative farm programs

Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services: Soil Health

• Improve biodiversity, link habitat, reduce fragmentation

• Species migration, extinction

• Wildlife “arks”

• BC’s Future Forest Ecosystems Initiative

Low Carbon Resilience and Ecosystem Services:Ecosystem Health

• Natural capital: geology, soil, air, water, living systems

• Ecosystem Services: Provisional, regulatory, habitat/supporting services, cultural services

• Natural asset management

• Property value

The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience:Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services

• Town of Gibsons

• Municipalities and the infrastructure deficit: $123B, growing $2B/yr

• Extreme event costs

• Infrastructure is aging

• New infrastructure lasts 50-100 years, extreme weather increasing

• Updating codes, standards for LCR

The Business Case for Low Carbon Resilience:Preserving Infrastructure and the Costs of Inaction

Funding and Finance Tools

Internal Revenue

• Financing

• Borrowing

• Reserve Funds

• Climate/Green Bonds

• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

• Funding

• Property Taxes

• Tax Levy

• Local Improvement Charge (LIC)

• User Fees

• Development Cost Charges

External Revenue

• Federal Gas Tax

• Intergovernmental Grants

• Public-Private Partnerships

• CARIP Grant (BC Only)

• Carbon Fund

Innovative Programs

• Local Incentives and Rebates

• LIC Financing

• Density for Benefit Agreements

• Natural Area Tax Exemption

Applying tools in conjunction with:

• Active/transportation corridor• Disaster mitigation• Mixed use, low carbon housing• Biodiversity / habitat protection• Renewable energy • Health• Art/community engagement • Mayoral pet-projects• Major infrastructure investment

Exploring Funding Overlap/Gap/Packaging Options

Version: Sep 2017

Adaptation Mitigation Infrastructure

Title

Amount

Status

Description

Ask the Climate

Question

#1

Green Resilience Matrix Identifying Climate Adaptation + Mitigation Synergies

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP INVESTMENTS? (A, M, I)

INVESTMENTS

Mitigation Opportunities

Infrastructure Investment

Adaptation Opportunities

Infrastructure Investment

Adaptation Opportunities

Mitigation Opportunities

Green Resilience Matrix

• Mitigation alone is insufficient, we have to implement LCR

• Responding holistically to increasing uncertainty

• Low carbon movement

• Facilitating ecosystem services

• LCR as a mindset

Concluding Thoughts

For more information about ACT, our policy reports, and adaptation resources, please

go to act-adapt.org, or contact us at adapt@sfu.ca.

For more information about Green Resilience Strategies, contact Steve Winkelman at

swink@greenresilience.com

ACTAdaptation

to Climate

Change Team

Thank you! Questions?