Integrated impacts of climate change on and adaptation strategies for metropolitan areas: A case study of Metropolitan Boston

Paul Kirshen, Matthias Ruth, Bill Anderson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Even though urban infrastructure systems are important and are designed according to socioeconomic and environmental conditions that are very sensitive to climate, there have been few major integrated assessments of the impacts of climate change on metropolitan infrastructure systems and services. Since infrastructure systems last considerably longer than decades (some a century or more) and provide the footprint and direction for future development, it is important that decision-makers understand the short- and long-term consequences of climate change on infrastructure. The CLIMB project was conducted from 1999 to 2004 by a multidisciplinary research team from Tufts University, University of Maryland, and Boston University with assistance from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)and a Stakeholder Advisory Committee made up of sectoral experts. The methodology is summarized in Ruth and Kirshen (2001) and the full methodology and results are available in Kirshen et al. (2004). Metro Boston, which is located in the northeastern United States, is shown in Figure 1 and includes the major cities of Boston and Cambridge and the other 99 municipalities within approximately 20 miles of Boston. The area is bordered on the east by Boston Harbor (the confluence of three major rivers) and on the south, west, and north approximately by the circumferential Route 495, covering an area of 1422 square miles. Metro Boston population is approximately 3.2 million and expected to grow to 3.9 million by 2050. Land use varies from densely populated urban areas in the east, suburbs in the center, and undeveloped farmland and some urban "sprawl" on the fringes. It is the heart of the New England economy and provides its major airport, and seaport facilities. The region is currently experiencing pressure on most of its infrastructure systems and severe development pressure in the municipalities just outside of the core urban areas. It is characterized by a climate with four distinct seasons with annual precipitation of 1000m relatively evenly distributed throughout the year; some as snow in the winter. The average monthly temperature is approximately 10 degree Celsius. One of major findings of the research was that how impacts on and adaptation actions for various infrastructure systems interact could affect adaptation strategies, particularly those related to water resources, the subject of this paper. The paper summarizes the research project and then the importance of these interactions. Copyright ASCE 2005.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationWorld Water Congress 2005
Subtitle of host publicationImpacts of Global Climate Change - Proceedings of the 2005 World Water and Environmental Resources Congress
Pages72
Number of pages1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005
Event2005 World Water and Environmental Resources Congress - Anchorage, AK, United States
Duration: 15 May 200519 May 2005

Publication series

NameWorld Water Congress 2005: Impacts of Global Climate Change - Proceedings of the 2005 World Water and Environmental Resources Congress

Conference

Conference2005 World Water and Environmental Resources Congress
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAnchorage, AK
Period15/05/0519/05/05

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