Clarkson University Professor, Student Contribute to New York State Climate Impacts Assessment
A Clarkson University professor and a master’s candidate in Environmental Policy both made contributions to two technical chapters of The New York State Climate Impacts Assessment: Understanding and Preparing for Our Changing Climate. The technical chapters were released on February 2.
The New York State Climate Impacts Assessment, supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is an investigation into how climate change is affecting New York State’s communities, ecosystems, and economy. It describes how climate change impacts are likely to change in the decades ahead and shares information on adaptation and resilience.
Professor Erik Backus, Director of the Construction Engineering Management Program at Clarkson, is a co-author of the Buildings Chapter of the study. This chapter examines the impacts of climate change on buildings and, by extension, the people and communities they shelter and support. It also highlights building types and populations that are at particular risk and presents adaptation strategies to protect the state’s existing and future building stock from climate impacts.
Backus said the assessment provides a set of guidance measures that can inform local, state, regional and national policy makers with ways to proceed across the various sectors evaluated.
“The next step from this effort would be for policy and lawmakers to take the results of the assessment and begin to set policy, develop funding priorities, and support/fund project efforts that seek to mitigate the impacts and work to adapt buildings as well as other parts of the state, to the realities of the impacts of climate change,” he said. “One of the most direct impacts will be changes to building codes and standards for the construction, renovation, and upgrades/adaptations needed for the building stock in New York State.”
Caroline Dodd, a master’s candidate in the Environmental Policy program at Clarkson, was appointed to the Society and Economy chapter as a Sector Advisor based on her experience in environmental education, justice, and advocacy in the Adirondack Park. Dodd contributed substantially to section 5.2, Educating New Yorkers about Climate Change, and was responsible for including The Wild Center's Youth Climate Summit, which she helped found, as a model for place-based, youth-led climate education in and beyond New York State.
“I contributed my knowledge of the increasing climate impacts and hazards in the North Country,” Dodd explained. “I spoke about the impacts of shorter, milder winters on the culture and economy of Adirondack towns and about the risks associated with increasing precipitation and severe precipitation events. Additionally, I shared my insights on the intersections between climate change and education, which include wealth inequalities leading to disparate education outcomes, the necessity for informal and formal climate education across the state, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on youth.”
As the state moves forward to put this plan into action, Backus believes Clarkson is well positioned to provide solutions.
“Clarkson has numerous ways it can help to address these challenges,” he said. “From working to develop air quality sensors that address the increased likelihood of poor air quality stemming from increased wildfire smoke, to educating and preparing future engineers through education, training, and research, to developing designs and executing construction that not only addresses the current context, codes, and constraints, but address the anticipated climate change effects that are well defined in this massive and comprehensive study.”
Amanda Stevens, NYSERDA Senior Project Manager said, “The Clarkson University team’s local knowledge and deep understanding of climate change is embedded throughout the chapters of this important climate study. With their help, New York State is able to provide information that will help local communities adapt and become more resilient in the face of climate change.”
For more information on the New York State Climate Impacts Assessment, visit nysclimateimpacts.org.
