Urban Resilience in the Era of Climate Change

Originally aired October 29, 2015

In an era rocked by climate change and other large-scale disruptions, our cities must be resilient to survive and thrive. What characteristics do resilient cities share, and what can be done to cultivate them? How does resilience differ from sustainability, and where do the concepts overlap? Is resilience determined by a city’s “hardware” — its infrastructure and built environment — or its “software,” its political will and social capital? This webinar explores these pressing questions through the lenses of urban sustainability, resilience thinking, and the practical, day-to-day management of cities.

Speakers

Kaid Benfield (Moderator)

Senior Counsel for Environmental Strategies, PlaceMakers LLC; Senior Adviser, Natural Resources Defense Council

Kaid Benfield is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on making cities, towns, and neighborhoods work better for both people and the environment. He serves as senior counsel for environmental strategies at PlaceMakers LLC and as a senior adviser to the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he served as a program director for over 20 years. He teaches law, policy, and best practices for sustainable communities at the George Washington University School of Law and is the author of People Habitat: 25 Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities.

Dr. Ann Kinzig

Chief Research Strategist; Professor, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University

Dr. Ann Kinzig is Chief Research Strategist and Director of Research Development for the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability and Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on ecosystem services, conservation-development interactions, and the resilience of natural-resource systems, with projects examining trade-offs between conservation and development goals in developing nations and the resilience of pre-historic landscapes in the American Southwest.

Mitchell J. Silver

Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Mitchell J. Silver became Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in May 2014 and served as immediate past president of the American Planning Association. An award-winning planner with nearly 30 years of experience, he is internationally recognized for his leadership in the planning profession and specializes in comprehensive planning, place making, and implementation strategies.

Dr. Jason Vogel

Managing Analyst, Abt Environmental Research

Dr. Jason Vogel is a Managing Analyst with Abt Environmental Research with extensive experience on climate change adaptation, including policy analysis, climate change impact and adaptation assessments, vulnerability and risk assessment, and translating climate science for decision-making audiences. He has provided analysis and strategy support for clients including USAID, the EPA, the Kresge Foundation, NREL, and the Water Utility Climate Alliance.