Building a More Resilient Region Together
Climate resiliency efforts grab the bull by the horns of extreme weather events to on-board people into hope and action. It builds on a mentality to roll with the punches by developing strong defenses and enhancing the capacity to develop partnerships and connections required to do the work effectively. The South Central Climate Resilience Forum highlighted this dynamic and deliberate process.
This diverse region of five states has it all, ranging from the coastal beaches and bayous of Texas and Louisiana to the rolling hills and mountains in Arkansas to the waving prairies of Oklahoma and Kansas. From large urban centers like Dallas to sprawling suburbs to small rural communities, from agriculture and ranching to tourism and hospitality. It also has a wide range of severe weather events that are being made worse by climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, heat domes, and snowmageddon-style winter storms. Each of these weather events affects how we work, play, and live.
Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy, presented the keynote address without glossing over the facts. Hayoe stated that the number of climate and weather events in the United States costing one billion dollars or more is climbing at an alarming rate:
Every 4 months in the 1980s
Every 2.8 weeks in the 2010s
Every 1.8 weeks in 2023
Hayhoe emphasized that “nature doesn’t need us, we need nature,” asked “what better can we get from what we are doing,” and reminded the room that “hope is all around us.” With that stage set, attendees got busy leaning into the work, conversations, and learning that they came prepared to do. The Forum intertwined three themes: cross-sector collaboration, impactful infrastructure, and community engagement and empowerment.
Local Solutions to a Global Dilemma
Organizations and communities are facing strong headwinds in addressing climate challenges, but they don’t have to navigate it alone. Businesses, governments, non-profits, and leaders representing all sectors can benefit from strong partnerships across local, state, and regional levels.
These sustainability collaborations look different from place to place. They may take the form of the private sector, community groups, and the government working together to address urban heat islands and increase resiliency.
One such transdisciplinary approach at the intersection of health and nature is the Texas Trees Southwestern Medical District (SWMD) Transformation Project in Dallas. High temperatures are the challenge here. Sunlight absorbed by buildings and concrete spreads across the area, raising daytime temperatures as much as 15 degrees higher than in rural areas and also trapping the heat when the sun goes down to make for warmer nights.
Lannie McClelen, SWMD Director at the Texas Trees Foundation, participated in a panel discussion at the SCCR Forum highlighting the collaborative efforts to restore a 2-mile stretch of antiquated roadway. Together, leaders from the City of Dallas, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Children’s Medical Center, and Parkland Health and Hospital System are embarking on climate solutions that could be a template for other cities.
McClelen explained an evidence-based design approach that marries the process of design and science to identify where the heat builds, wind flows, and air pollution peaks to inform design planning and strategy. The aim is to build a green canopy over the area, carefully positioning the trees to funnel and lift the air, to accommodate the District’s 3 million patients, employees, and visitors it sees every year.
While businesses can innovate and invest and researchers can provide scientific insights, it is the communities that offer valuable local knowledge and support. Equitable engagement is a significant aspect, seeking to cultivate a partnership among people in the area. The SWMD Transformation Project purposefully extended a direct bridge to the community for people to “express their needs, goals, desires, and incorporate their voices.”
Through robust discussion, the Texas Tree Foundation set out to discover when, why, and how people use the outdoor spaces. One specific topic was the community tables outside the medical buildings. Those conversations identified a lack of shade during the day. Acknowledging and addressing the challenge with a small shift in table placement made people feel like their voices were heard and that they mattered.
These steps, taken one block at a time and one conversation at a time, are exactly what’s needed to build climate resiliency.
The 2024 SCCR Forum Planning Committee proclaims, “The better we can communicate with our neighbors about the challenges and opportunities in front of us, the more likely we are to succeed at building stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities.”
climate action ~ community partnerships ~ climate resiliency ~ listening ~ engagement