Increasing UMass Amherst’s Resilience to a Changing Climate; Workshop to be Held on Nov. 15

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The Climate Resiliency Task Force has launched an eight-month process to develop a Campus Resiliency Plan, outlining strategies for creating a stronger, more equitable, healthier and prepared campus that can thrive even under new stresses from climate change. This process comes as part of the Climate Resiliency Task Force and Carbon Mitigation Task Force’s efforts to advance sustainability on campus, which began late last fall.

The campus community is invited to two events on Friday, Nov. 15 to help shape the development of the Campus Resiliency Plan:

Campus Resiliency Plan Open House, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Campus Center Room 165 

All members of the campus community are encouraged to drop in to learn about the plan, to share stories and experiences and to discuss ideas for creating a more resilient campus. Questions like “What aspects of campus are most vulnerable?” and “What aspects help to make UMass Amherst stronger, healthier, and more resilient?” Refreshments will be provided.

Resilience Indicators Workshop, 3 to 6 p.m., Campus Center Room 165

Join the Campus Resiliency Task Force for a workshop to define how we will measure success in becoming a more resilient campus. The indicators and systems of measurement developed during the workshop will be critical to tracking the university’s progress towards increasing its resilience. We ask that participants join for the full three hours, if possible. Refreshments will be provided.

Registration is preferred.

As the impacts of climate change increase in intensity across the nation and in Western Massachusetts, UMass Amherst’s efforts to take a proactive and leadership role in addressing climate change become ever more important. The Campus Resiliency Plan looks to build both the physical and social resilience of the campus and will be addressing the following five focus areas in the process: social equity and governance; health and well being; economy and society; infrastructure and environment; and leadership and strategy. The plan will build on the campus’s hazard mitigation planning, integrate leading climate planning frameworks, and apply the latest climate projections for the Connecticut River Basin developed by the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (NE CASC).

The development of the Campus Resiliency Plan is led by a task force appointed by the office of the Chancellor and co-chaired by Jeffrey Hescock, executive director of environmental health and safety and Elisabeth Hamin, associate professor of regional planning.