EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
NYC Case Study
Summary
Students will apply a role-playing activity to explore the challenges facing climate change planning in
New York City. Radley Horton, lead climate scientist on PlaNYC, will provide an overview of the interagency and organization climate change planning process he participated in. Students will relate their
exercise to the very complicated process described by Mr. Horton.
Learning Objective
In this lesson, students will:
 Explore NYC’s innovative, and complex plan, to adapt to climate change.
 Identify the key risks and challenges to climate change plan negotiations in New York City.
 Engage in a role-playing activity with the purpose of coming to a consensus despite different
interests and constituent groups.
Assigned Student Preparation
All Read:
 Executive Summary (p. 7-12), Introduction (p. 13-18) and Chapter 1 (p. 19-28) of NPCC report:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.2010.1196.issue-1/issuetoc
Read material indicated below for assigned organization:
 NYC Department of Environmental Protection -- Climate Action Plan (2008)
www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/climate/climate_complete.pdf
Look over sections 2 and 3, focusing on 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, and 3.2 and also read section 5.
One group member should focus on water supply and the other on wastewater systems
 Metropolitan Transport Authority -- Adaptations to Climate Change:
http://www.mta.info/sustainability/index.html?c=ClimateAdaptation p. 18-34
 We Act: http://www.weact.org/ (review site content)
 The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Chapter, Rising Waters Project
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/science/art23583.html
Download full report, near the bottom of the page, then read the executive summary (pages 419).
 Economic Development Corporation: http://www.nycedc.com/Pages/HomePage.aspx (review
site content)
Delivery Note: Ensure that useful information is still posted to the above referenced links.
Preparation before Class
 Share class information and graded responses with guest instructor
 Make sure all students know their pre-assigned roles
Homework to Collect and Grade
Responses to following questions due before class:
1) What challenges (including risks) and opportunities does climate change present to your
organization?
EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
2) How well does the emphasis and approach in the assigned NPCC report match the needs of your
organization and mandate? Be sure to cite specific NPCC page references.
Opening Activity - Guest Introduction
(10 minutes)
1. Stephanie introduces Radley Horton, Columbia/NASS/GISS and lead climate scientist on PlaNYC.
2. Radley discusses his work on the NPCC report and PlaNYC, focusing on the following:
a. Establish guiding principles - flexible adaptation pathways
b. NYC climate change adaptation process
c. Design of an adaptation process
Group Activity - NYC Case Study
(50 minutes)
1. Start with 2 groups with representatives from most agencies.
2. Each group comes up with adaptation strategies that meet most of their collective agencies needs;
it’s important that students map their strategies to risks (e.g. policy/political) and challenges (e.g.
cost).
3. Each group presents its adaptation strategies to the class.
4. Students break into the following subgroups:
 WeAct, Nature Conservancy, and EDC
 DEP and MTA
5. Groups share findings focusing on implementation of a specific strategy.
Whole Class Activity
(20 minutes)
1. Full class discussion of the activity focusing on what was easy and what was difficult to resolve in the
group discussions.
2. Radley takes questions from the class.
Delivery Note: Before moving on to the next portion of the activity, ensure that all students are
on the same page, that they understand the purpose of the constructive controversy.
Wrap-Up
(15 minutes)
1. Summarize student knowledge.
2. Remind students that next week are their group presentations.
3. Stephanie recaps what we’ve done thus far during the Adaptation Unit of the course:
•
•
•
•
Win-win negotiation
– “Getting to Yes”
– http://eeoc.org/environmental-negotiation/climate-diplomat-post-2012-climatenegotation
Modeling and spatial planning
– Arctic marine management strategy
Gap analysis
– Sea level rise
Scenario by analogy
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
•
•
•
NYC Case Study
– NYC-Savannah
Concept maps/conceptual models (vulnerability and adaptation assessments)
– Developing resilient health systems
Alternating Role Play
– Climate and conflict
Case study/Role Play/Vulnerability and adaptation assessments
– NYC case study
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
Case Study NYC - Alternative LP Day 1 (Town Hall - Background)
Summary
Students will learn to examine a case study of New York City and extract content to answer pertinent
questions to climate change. Questions include: What specific impacts can or will climate change have
on a major coastal city? How will cities respond to impacts? What kinds of mitigation and adaptation
strategies will be developed? Students will use a climate change game modified for New York City as
well as a Town Hall debate to practice and assess their knowledge.
Learning Objective
In this lesson, students will:
 Identify the affects of global climate change on New York City as a case study of other large
coastal cities.
 Understand the breadth and depth climate change will have on the economic, political, and
physical infrastructure of New York City.
 Explore the mitigation and adaptation strategies New York City must employ to manage various
climate change scenarios.
Materials
 Handouts: climate change game and NYC Case Study
 Adapted Climate Change Game Board and Instructions
 Post-It Notes
Delivery Note: The climate change game calls for a round-table set-up, if possible. If not, there
should be some communal table or desk to use for dissemination of the game cards and pieces.
Town Hall set up may call for a stage style set-up. If it’s possible to mimic this in the room, try it
out before class.
Preparation before Class
 Ensure that multimedia is functioning in the room and videos queued appropriately
 Materials for Climate Change Game - playing cards with questions (Day 1)
 Pre-divide students up into town hall groups (Day 2)
Homework to Collect and Grade
Review climate change homework - game rules - from the previous class.
Class Activity
(45 minutes)
1. Students immediately divide into groups assigned at the end of the previous class session.
2. Students take out their rules - rules should reflect how the game is played, what the game will
assess, and what the expected outcomes will be. *Sudent groups should have emailed two
categories for instructors to create questions around.
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
3. Instructor places questions, based on category, created based on student group categories in a desk
at the center of the room; reviews rules as formulated by class. For example, it will be up to the
students whether or not the game will be open note/handout or not.
4. The object of the game, generally speaking, should be to move from one end of the board to the
next. Each space on the board reflects a different question category.
5. The winning group will choose the group to moderate the town hall meeting!
Delivery Note: As always, circulate around the room to help any students who may not be
participating actively in their group.
Independent Group Activity
(5-10 minutes)
1. Quick discussion around the effectiveness/utility of the game.
2. During discussion, winning group will come up with general categories (4-5 topics) and moderators
(if this seems appropriate) for town hall meeting.
Delivery Note If the game is competitive and it seems inappropriate for the winning team to
choose the moderators, the team with the least amount of points can be selected by default as
the moderating team.
Wrap-Up
(10 minutes)
2. Prepare for Town Hall discussion during the next class.
3. The moderating group will come up with 3-4 questions for 4-5 categories that they select based on
the case study - if they like, they can just take the categories from the Climate Game.
4. Assign each other group an interest group. Consider the following general designations: business,
city (government), trade unions, and scientists (climate change science). In the town hall meeting,
their responses should reflect the interest group they represent.
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
NYC Case Study - Alternative LP Day 2 (Town Hall)
Summary
Students will continue to investigate the NYC Case Study on climate change. Students will watch videos,
review readings, and participate in a town hall forum to discover how a case study can be used as a tool
for creating and implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Learning Objective
In this lesson, students will:
 Review NYC Case Study materials
 Analyze climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies
 Discuss and debate case study information in a town hall format
Materials
 Handout: NYC Case Study chapters 1-4 (if necessary)
 Handout: Town Hall topics (moderating group responsible)
Delivery Note: Set-up in the room should be conducive to a town hall format. A stage or stagelike platform for moderators. Students all facing forward - toward the moderators.
Preparation before Class
 Ensure multimedia is setup.
 Collect handouts from moderating group for dissemination
Homework to Collect and Grade
None
Opening Activity - Do Now
(15 minutes)
1. Tell the students that they’ll be seeing a video of students who are proposing different climate
change adaptation strategies. Based on their NYC Case study readings (Chapters 1-4), ask them to
note which of these strategies appears feasible or not.
*Remind the moderators of the Town Hall that they can use information from this discussion to help
shape the meeting.
2. Show the Earth Institute, Adapting New York to Climate Change video:
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2465
3. Engage students in a short discussion
4. Now, ask students if New York City, based on what they know of it as students, visitors, residents,
would a more creative vehicle as an entry point to climate change be more impactful?
5. After a short discussion, show the High Water Line video: http://news.discovery.com/videos/globalwarming-videos/
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
6. Or, would a more shocking rendering of our climate future be more effective? Show the artist
images of the affects of climate change on London:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/london-futures-postcards-_n_778989.html#s174289
Whole-Class Activity
(40 minutes)
1. With the images still running in the background, call the moderators to the stage.
2. The moderators will lead the discussion of the Town Hall. The Town Hall should be divided up into 4
to 5 categories; each category should be allotted 10 minutes of questions and discussion. If time
remains, the class can return to a hotly debated topic.
3. Remind group that their responses should reflect or come from the point of view of their assigned
interest: business, city (government), trade unions, and scientists (climate change science).
Delivery Note: Remind student of the participatory element of their grade if discussion stagnates.
Circulate to ensure full class participation.
Wrap-Up
(5-10 minutes)
1. Students should write a short (1-2 page) reflection of the Town Hall from the perspective of a
journalist covering the event.
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
Case Study NYC - Learning Resources/Learning Extensions
Multimedia Lecture Resources
1. High Water Line Project on Discovery News, http://news.discovery.com/videos/global-warmingvideos/ and http://www.highwaterline.org/
Description: A New York artist responds to climate change by developing a public art project known as
the High Water Line. The artist travels around Brooklyn and Manhattan with a chalk liner to
demonstrate how rising sea levels will affect New York City - with rising sea levels, ten feet is a common
number estimated by scientists in the coming decades. As massive storms become more frequent,
incidences of flooding will increase.
Recommended Use: Demonstrates how everyday people (artists, residents) can initiate their own
adaptive strategies. Education counts. Visualizing the problem may help people to recognize the
potential impact of global climate change on their homes, schools, and places of business and worship.
Perhaps it will instigate the kinds of adaptive strategies scientists promote (such as curbing our
consumption of fossil fuels).
2. Earth Institute, Adapting New York to Climate Change,
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2465
Description: “Earth Institute Climate Change Adaptation Initiative showcased the work of student
interns at the Adapting to Climate Change in the New York Metro Area Conference. The students shared
their experiences of analyzing what kinds of impacts climate change could have on New York City, and
discussed potential adaptation techniques and outcomes through presentations and posters.”
Recommended Use: It can show the tangible ways that students can think about climate change and
develop ways to adaptive strategies to it. It would serve as a nice introduction to the Town Hall activity.
4. Huffington Post, London Futures': 'Postcards From The Future' Museum Of London Exhibit Imagines
The Impact Of Climate Change By Artists Robert Graves And Didier Madoc-Jones
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/london-futures-postcards-_n_778989.html#s174289
Description: Pictures rendered by artists that that show the potential impacts of global climate change
on the city of London. They’re bleak and startling.
Recommended Use: Is this the future of New York? How can New York plan to adapt and mitigate for
the effects of climate change? Images segue into a discussion of the NYC Case Study.
Game/Activity Resources
1. Climate Change Game (board vs. digital?)
Description: After having reviewed the NYC Case study (relevant chapters), students create the climate
change game - the rules. Based on the student framework, instructors are responsible for designing the
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
questions. This can be initiated in class and the remainder given as homework (to be completed in
groups) and emailed to the instructor prior to the next class (given that there’s enough time).
Recommended Use: A means of verifying student knowledge/understanding of the adaptation
strategies that New York must employ. The game framework should incorporate vulnerability, climate
hazards, energy, water, transportation, health, land use and governance.
2. The NYC Town Hall
Description: Students engage in a town hall style discussion. After a review and discussion of NYC
specific adaptation/mitigation strategies and challenges, students design questions
Recommended Use: Based on their reading and discussion of the NYC Case Study, students decide the
topics to be discussed. Small groups brainstorm potential topics and then present to the larger group. A
vote is held to determine the top ten to be discussed. Groups of two to four students are assigned a
discussion topic to lead (this can be given as HW so the Town Hall takes place in class 2). I require
discussion leaders to find at least two articles on their topic and I give them a list of things to consider
when they analyze the articles, including a set of guidelines on how to prepare a set of talking points to
use during the town hall meetings.
In order to create the incentive to participate each discussion can be worth points. To earn the points,
people have to take part. The Town Hall starts with each student receiving Post-it notes. The Post-its
are worth a point each - each student puts his or her name on it. After the discussion leaders are given
the floor, all of the students are free to raise questions or to comment. Each time they add to the
discussion, students stick one of their Post-it notes on the front of their desk for everyone to see. Once a
person has participated twice and placed both Post-its on the front of their desk, they can no longer
earn points but they may still contribute to the discussion.
If students don’t bring it up, adaptation versus mitigation strategies should be discussed, as it’s an
important point of discussion in the case study. Additionally, students should discuss David Keith’s idea
to pump Sulfur into the atmosphere. What are its potential impacts on NYC? This leads into the next
class’s discussion of geoengineering albedo.
Course Reading Resources:
1. Climate Change in New York City: Building a Risk Management Response
Description: The report demonstrates that New York City must adapt to climate change because it is not
feasible to mitigate. Mitigation is too expensive and will take too long. According to the report, the city
should work quickly to implement cost effective and feasible adaptive strategies to lessen the impacts of
global climate change. The report delineates clear evidence of climate change and its affect on NYC. For
example, NYC “may face 4-7.5 degree F increase in its annual mean temperature, a 5-10% increase in its
baseline rainfall, and at least 12-23 inches of sea level rise by the end of the century. These climate
changes will impact the city’s already stressed infrastructure.
Recommended Use: The report is dense. It’s suggested that the students focus on the introduction as
well as Chapter 1 (NYC Adaptation in Context), Chapter 2 (Adopting a Risk-Based Approach), Chapter 3
(Climate Observations and Projections), and Chapter 4 (Infrastructure Impacts and Adaptation
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EESC W3000 Responding to Climate Change (Spring 2011)
NYC Case Study
Challenges). It’s important that students at least skim the material - though they should thoroughly read
Chapter 1. They can download electronic versions to review in class to prepare for the Town Hall.
2. International Institute for Environment and Development, Assessing the costs of adaptation to climate
change, http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=11501IIED
Description: A report that investigates and delineates the costs associated with adaptive strategies to
global climate change. The authors of the study believe that the true costs associated with adaptation
to climate change have been grossly underestimated.
Recommended use: The study provides an interesting point of discussion; a counter point, in some
ways, to the adaptive strategies suggested in the NYC Case Study. Some of the costs have been buried
or not correctly elucidated. Will the benefit to the environment and human health overcome or
surmount the financial costs? Is there any way of putting a price tag on adaptive strategies?
3. New York Times, The Cost of Adapting to Climate Change,
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/the-cost-of-adapting-to-climate-change/
Description: European Ministers have stated that the cost of adaptive strategies to global climate
change will surpass $140 billion. Who will pick up the tab? Will developing countries be able to afford
adaptive strategies? The argument can be made that the G20 nations should pay for adaptive strategies
since they are responsible for the bulk of it; yet, most of the potential impacts associated with global
climate change will disproportionately affect developing countries.
Recommended use: What to do? This should be an article that is introduced in the Town Hall discussion
(if a group leader doesn’t bring it in).
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