On May 27, 2010, Mayor Bloomberg announced the release of a landmark report analyzing climate change adaptation needs and strategies in New York City.  The report was compiled by the New York City Panel on Climate Change, an expert panel convened by the Mayor to provide climate change-related advice to the New York City Climate Change Adaptation Task Force.  Described in a City press release as “one of the most comprehensive studies on climate change adaptation undertaken by a municipality,” the report addresses the following issues: 

• Predicted changes to New York City’s climate;
• Effects of such changes on the City’s energy, transportation, water, waste, and communications infrastructure;
• Models for mitigating harm to City infrastructure;
• Impact of federal, state, and local environmental laws on current and potential climate change adaptation efforts in New York City;
• Role of the insurance industry in developing climate change adaptation strategies based on risk assessment; and
• Strategies for monitoring climate change. 

Pamela Esterman, an SPR principal, was a contributing author of the report; she co-authored Section 5.3, which discusses how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), and the New York City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) may provide useful legal frameworks for the identification of climate change adaptation needs. 

• Read more about emerging climate change issues.