Hudson Valley Municipal OfficialViews on Climate ChangeViews on Climate Change

Allison M. ChatrchyanCornell Cooperative

Shorna AllredAssociate Professor

Maureen MullenCommunications Outreachp

Extension (CCE)CCE Statewide Energy &

Climate Change Team

Human Dimensions of Natural Resources

Dept. of Natural Resources

AssistantDept. of Natural Resources

Cornell University

Presentation to the Hudson Valley Climate Change NetworkNorrie Point Environmental Center, Staatsburg, NY

August 13, 2012

Municipal Climate Change Study• Cornell Smith Lever Funding (R. Schneider, PI)

2007-10 for three year study focused on natural f i l G t f W tresource professionals. Grant from Water

Resources Institute (S. Allred, PI) 2011-2012 to study municipal officials in Hudson Valleystudy municipal officials in Hudson Valley.

• Collaboration between faculty CCE Extension• Collaboration between faculty, CCE Extension, and project partners (NYS DEC, HREP) in survey design & outputs.design & outputs.

I t f L lImportance of Local GovernmentsGovernments

• Cities are pivotal actors in climate change but a relatively understudied in U S (Sharp et al 2011)relatively understudied in U.S. (Sharp et al. 2011)

• Many local governments are crafting policy to address climate change (Sharp et al. 2011)

• Important to understand motivation for actions for• Important to understand motivation for actions for climate protection policies as well as what actions are being taken for planning and implementation

Goals of Study Were to Determine…1 G l i li t h i k d i1. General views on climate change; risks and issues

associated with climate change and natural resources2 Adaptation tools which might successfully address climate2. Adaptation tools which might successfully address climate

change.3. Attitudes towards various state and local policy solutions to

address climate change. 4. If/if not already taking action in their positions to address

climate change (why/why not) Benefits/obstacles of takingclimate change (why/why not). Benefits/obstacles of taking action.

5. Information Needs/Tools to help implement solutions and adaptations.

Research MethodsQuantitative• Web + Mail SurveyWeb + Mail Survey• Factor Analysis

Qualitative• In-depth interviews• Thematic codingThematic coding

Survey Methodology• Survey of municipal officials in New York State with oversampling for• Survey of municipal officials in New York State, with oversampling for

Hudson Valley (N=1,488)

– Primarily web (mail for those without accessible e-mail addresses)

– County Executives, Mayors, Town Supervisors, Environmental

Management Council members, and Conservation Advisory Council

members, N=1,416

– Conducted 2010-2011

– 1 invitation e-mail and up to 6 reminder e-mail contacts

– Response rate=21% (n=299)

Our respondents were:

Municipal Role n %

Elected officials 201 70 5%Elected officials 201 70.5%

Appointed officials 35 12.3%

Paid Staff 23 8.1%

Volunteer Position (i.e., committee member) 12 4.2%

Conservation Advisory Commission (CAC) B d M b 25 8.8%or Board Member

Municipal consultant 4 1.4%

Other function 10.4%

“Codes, Ag Comp. Plan”

Respondents held these positions for:

Number of years n %

0-9 years 158 59.0%

10 19 71 26 5%10-19 years 71 26.5%

20-29 years 29 10 8%20-29 years 29 10.8%

30-39 years 8 3.0% y

40-49 years 1 0.4%

50+ years 1 0.4%

Region 1: 3.3%(10)Respondents were from:

Region 2: 0%

Region 3: 26.4%(79)(79)

Region 4: 16.7%(50)

Region 5: 11.4%(34)

Region 6: 5%(15)

Region 7: 13.8%Region 7: 13.8%(41)

Region 8: 12%(36)

54.5%(36)

Region 9: 10.4% (31)

How would you assess your current level of knowledge about the causes and potential

1%

o edge abou e causes a d po e aimpacts of climate change in New York State?

8%(24)13%

(38)

(2)

I don't know much

23%(67)

(38) I don t know much

I know a little bit(67)

I am moderately well-informedI am very

55%

I am very knowledgeableI am an expert

(156)

Key findings of municipal officials’ attitudes about climate change:

3%

7% 20% 40% 31%The science indicates our climate is changing

g

3%There is sufficient evidence that over the coming decade,

g g

4%

13% 21% 37% 26%climate change will affect the natural resources with which I

workStrongly disagreeDisagreeNeutral4%

14% 23% 40% 19%I already see evidence of how

climate change is affecting New York's natural resources

NeutralAgreeStrongly agree

10% 38% 28% 20% 4%

There is sufficient information available on how to address climate impacts at the local

0% 50% 100%

climate impacts at the local level

Please rate the relevancy and vulnerability of the following impacts to your municipality:g p y p y5 Relevancy

Vulnerability

3

4

2

3

1

2

Increased sea level

Increased average winter

temperature

Increased temperature in summer, higher heat

Increased summer drought

Increased severity or

frequency of other extreme

Increased precipitation,

flooding

SCALE: 1 = not at all relevant/vulnerable, 5 = very relevant/vulnerable

temperature with reduced

freezing

higher heat index

other extreme weather events

Has your municipality already taken actions to address climate change?g

Yes24%

I don't know9% 24%

(60)9%(23)

NoNo67%(169)

What actions has your municipality taken to adapt to climate change?

Adaptation Actions n %

p g

Partnering with local groups to address climate issues 25 42%

Developing a flood mitigation plan/program 22 37%Developing a flood mitigation plan/program 22 37%

Planning on long-term horizons (10+ years) 14 23%

Conducting outreach and education 13 22%

Practicing adaptive management 13 22%

Developing a climate action plan 12 20%

Pl i f ifi d t ti t th l l l l 12 20%Planning for specific adaptations at the local level 12 20%

Implementing a climate action plan 6 10%

What actions has your municipality taken to mitigate climate change? Mitigation Actions n %Investing in energy savings from buildings 52 87%

g g

Investing in energy savings from buildings 52 87%

Planting trees 43 72%

Investing in and protecting green and open spaces 36 60%Investing in and protecting green and open spaces 36 60%

Investing in energy savings from transportation 24 40%

Purchasing renewable energy 22 37%Purchasing renewable energy 22 37%

Adopting Climate Smart Communities 22 37%

Investing in energy savings from industrial & wasteInvesting in energy savings from industrial & waste processes 19 32%

Conduct baseline GHG emissions inventory and forecast 16 27%

Developing climate action plan for GHG 12 20%

Adopting emissions reduction target for the forecast year 10 17%

What factors prompted your municipality to take action?take action?

Factor Mean Rating1

Being a Responsible Leader 3.68

Fiscal Savings 3.59

Cooperation and Partnerships 3.37

Constituent Pressure 2.97

Inaction of Government Top-down MandateInaction of Government, Top-down Mandate, and Local Impacts 2.82

11=not important, 2=slightly important, 3=somewhat important, 4=important, 5=very important

Factors that Influenced Adaptation Actions

Influencing Factors1 Mean for Each Group F-Statistic P-value

Proactive Leadership 1-2 actions= 3.533-12 actions= 4.06 5.757 .020*

1 2 ti 2 67Inaction of Government 1-2 actions= 2.673-12 actions= 3.26 4.391 .042*

Cooperation and 1-2 actions= 3 27Cooperation and Partnerships

1-2 actions= 3.273-12 actions= 3.76 2.885 .095

Fi l S i 1-2 actions= 3.54 1 507 225Fiscal Savings 3-12 actions= 3.82 1.507 .225

Constituent Pressure 1-2 actions= 2.97 0 176 677Constituent Pressure 3-12 actions= 3.10 0.176 .677

11=not important, 2=slightly important, 3=somewhat important, 4=important, 5=very important*significant difference between groups at the p<.05 level

Factors that Influenced Mitigation Actions

Influencing Factors1 Mean for Each Group F-Statistic P-value

Proactive Leadership 1-4 actions= 3.425-10 actions= 4.10 9.778 .003*

C ti d 1 4 ti 3 11Cooperation and Partnerships

1-4 actions= 3.115-10 actions= 3.78 5.695 .021*

1-4 actions= 2 70Inaction of Government 1 4 actions 2.705-10 actions= 3.05 1.418 .240

Constituent Pressure 1-4 actions= 3.13 1 284 262Constituent Pressure 5-10 actions= 2.8 1.284 .262

Fiscal Savings 1-4 actions= 3.525 10 actions= 3 77 1.252 .268g 5-10 actions= 3.77

11=not important, 2=slightly important, 3=somewhat important, 4=important, 5=very important*significant difference between groups at the p<.05 level

What factors are barriers to your municipality taking action?municipality taking action?

Factor Mean Rating1Rating1

Lack of Resources (Financial and Human) 3.72Lack of Resources (Financial and Human)

Inaction of Government at All Levels 3 17Inaction of Government at All Levels 3.17

Lack of Information and External Pressure to Act 3 06Lack of Information and External Pressure to Act 3.06

Intra-Organizational Issues 2 42Intra Organizational Issues 2.42

11=not a barrier, 2=minimal barrier, 3=slight barrier, 4=moderate barrier, 5=significant barrier

In-Depth Interviews• Focus on the Hudson Valley• Qualitative Methods: face to face interviews• Nine interviews with cross section of officials:

– Rural vs. Urban Views– 4 Climate Smart Communities (CSC) vs. 5 Non-CSCs– 5 Communities that had experienced significant FEMA-

level flooding events vs 5 Communitieslevel flooding events vs. 5 Communitieswith less flooding events

Municipalities Interviewed/ l l d / l l dCSC/FEMA‐Level Flooding:

-City, Mid‐Hudson Valley-Large Urbanized Town, Lower‐Hudson‐Valley

No CSC/FEMA‐Level Flooding:-Populated Suburban Town, Mid‐Hudson Valley -Small Rural Town, Lower‐Hudson Valley

ll l d d ll-Small Rural Town, Mid‐Hudson Valley

CSC/Less FEMA‐Level Flooding:-Small, Rural Town, Mid‐Hudson Valley-City, Upper‐Hudson Valley

No CSC/Less FEMA‐Level Flooding:-Small Rural Town, Mid‐Hudson Valley -Small Town, Lower Hudson Valley

Municipal Officials Interviewed: Town Supervisors (7), City Mayor (1), City Alderman (1) Town Board (1) CAC (1) Staff (3)Alderman (1), Town Board (1), CAC (1), Staff (3)

Counties Represented: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Green, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster

In-Depth Interview Questions• How much knowledge do you feel you have?

• Have you seen any local effects of climate change?

• How vulnerable do you think your municipality is?

• Has your municipality started any local planning?Has your municipality started any local planning?

• What are the barriers to addressing climate change?

• What kinds of local projects or planning tools would be most useful?

• What specific information do you need?

Key Findings: Knowledge

• 9 Municipalities:– 4 minimal knowledge; 3 fair bit of knowledge; 2 High level of knowledge

• Unclear about Science, but See Changes: – “I would say I have limited knowledge as to the theoretical causes for

weather changes I’m not sure how to tie the cause and effect We haveweather changes…I m not sure how to tie the cause and effect. We have had some extreme weather situations in the past 2-3 years, but I haven't had anyone connect the dots as to the causes of those events.”

• Precautionary Principle:• Precautionary Principle:– “I think if we wait for the scientists to definitively say “oh there is climate

change”, I think it’s too late so I think that we need to...just start changing our behavior patterns to do what we can to I won’t say combat climate changebehavior patterns to do what we can to, I won t say combat climate change, but counteract it with, with our activities.”

Key Findings: Local Effects

Are you seeing local effects in your municipality?

1. Flooding *(*mentioned in every municipality)2. Effects on infrastructure - roads, bridges, culvertsects o ast uctu e oads, b dges, cu e ts3. Heavy rainfall over short periods of time, effecting streams4. Blizzards &ice storms, causing downed trees and power

outages 5. Negative Budget Impacts6 Milder inters and decreased sno fall/road salt costs6. Milder winters and decreased snowfall/road salt costs7. Sea Level Rise & Ecosystem Effects8 Periods of high temperature that negatively8. Periods of high temperature, that negatively

affect air quality

Key Findings: Local Effects

Are you seeing local effects in your municipality:• “We’ve had these spectacular events - that 17” of snow in October, the huge

snowstorm a couple years ago; we’ve had flooding, and thing is, all these events are extreme events. There’s never a nice dusting, there’s never just a spring shower anymore, you know…It’s a torrent.”

– Supervisor large Town in Mid-Hudson Valley– Supervisor, large Town in Mid-Hudson Valley

Inconsistency: Planning & Budgeting Challenges:Inconsistency: Planning & Budgeting Challenges:• “We see such an inconsistency in the weather. Other than that big snowstorm

there hasn’t been any snow this winter. Last year we had 40 something events of snow - so from one year to the other…it’s incredibly difficult to plan.”y y p

– Supervisor, large Town in Mid-Hudson Valley

Key Findings: Vulnerability

• 9 Municipalities:– 1 limited vulnerability; 5 somewhat vulnerable; 3 very vulnerable1 limited vulnerability; 5 somewhat vulnerable; 3 very vulnerable

• Higher vulnerability assessment did not lead to greater actiong

• “I’d say we’re significantly vulnerable because of the fact that one-third of our community is surrounded by water”– Mayor, Small City in Upper Hudson Valley

Key Findings: Local Action

• 9 Municipalities: 8 Taken Some Action; 1 Indicated No Action Taken (actions not necessarily linked to knowledge of climate changeTaken (actions not necessarily linked to knowledge of climate change impacts): 1. Adaptation: Stormwater/Green Infrastructure2 Adaptation: Emergency Preparedness2. Adaptation: Emergency Preparedness3. Mitigation Climate Smart Community/ICLEI – 4 Municipalities4. Adaptation: Comprehensive Plan/Local Laws5. Mitigation: Energy Conservation6. Mitigation: Community Education7. Mitigation: GHG Inventoryg y8. Mitigation: Renewable Energy

• Some municipalities unclear about mitigation vs. adaptation measures

B i t Add i Cli tBarriers to Addressing Climate Change Locally:Change Locally:

1. Financial2. Lack of general understanding of climate changeg g g3. Excessive Government Regulation4. Technical5. Competing interests6. Knowledge local effects7. Lack of time/volunteer burnout8. Not a local problem

“That’s the biggest hurdle we still have to overcome is getting the vocabulary more in use. It’s also a competition of interests…Our biggest immediate issues are economic, employment, economic development, balancing the budget, living within a 2% tax cap paying for retirement plans for employees etc All ofliving within a 2% tax cap, paying for retirement plans for employees, etc. All of those financial issues sit on the table every day and call our names, so how could you even acknowledge climate change.”

- City Alderman, Mid-Hudson Valley

Information & Assistance Needs:1. Knowledge of Local Effects2. Education to Improve Basic Understanding3. Funding4. Technical/Government tell us what to do5. Partnerships/Consultations/Cooperation6. Planning Help/Adaptation Resources7 Emergency Planning7. Emergency Planning

“We tend to have a reactive plan, you know based around a historic set of weather conditions and we act accordingly No one has given us any foresight into what toconditions, and we act accordingly. No one has given us any foresight into what to expect. If I knew that we were going to get ‘x’ amount more snow in the next year, we’d have to budget accordingly with materials, or if I knew we were going to have rainfall of 4” greater in certain months, then that’s something we’d have to look at certain roads and figure out what the 4” increase in rainfall would mean to those roads. But I don’t have that.”

- Supervisor of a small, rural town in the Mid-Hudson Valley

How useful would the following resources be in your work to address climate change at the local

Information about very useful

y glevel?

22%

13%

34%

29%

22%

25%

12%

15%

10%

18%

Educational and 

Information about regulations

y

useful

24%

22%

31%

34%

22%

22%

13%

12%

10%

10%

Climate change research 

communication resources somewhat useful

slightly useful

29%

24%

33%

31%

17%

22%

12%

13%

9%

10%

Climate change information and planning

and dataslightly useful

not at all useful

55%

29%

22%

33%

10%

17%

7%

12%

6%

9%

Information on 

information and planning resources 

useful

55% 22% 10%7%6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

funding/incentive sources

What information does your municipality need to address climate change?need to address climate change?

Information Needs %Information Needs %

How likely or severe the effects will be 52%

Things you can do to prevent it 51%

General information about climate change 44%

Available responses to the effects of climate change 41%

The process of climate change 27%

Multiple answers were allowed

Conclusions and Recommendations

• The majority of municipal officials have some knowledge about climate change but theyknowledge about climate change, but they would like to know more about the likeliness and severity of the predicted climate changeand severity of the predicted climate change effects in their community, how they can prevent and/or respond to these effects as wellprevent and/or respond to these effects, as well as learn more about climate change in general.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• Municipal officials would most like access to resources about funding sources andresources about funding sources and incentive programs, followed by climate change information and data (e g monitoringchange information and data (e.g., monitoring programs, vulnerability assessments, adaptation research) and management plansadaptation research), and management plans (e.g., model ordinances, hazard mitigation).

Implications• New York has adopted an 80/50 goal

for GHG emission reductions• Large number of small governments

(62 counties, 932 towns, and 62 cities)( )• Municipalities control energy use, infrastructure,

planning, and land use decisions locally.p g, y• Although a majority of municipal officials believe in

the science of climate change, only 24% of the municipal officials surveyed have begun addressing climate change in their community.

Tools• Cornell Climate Change Website:

www.climatechange.cornell.edug• Climate Change Fact Sheets• Speakers & PPT Presentations• To Be Developed: DecisionTo Be Developed: Decision

Tools, based on Needs

Forthcoming Publications• Addressing Climate Change at the Municipal

Level. Cornell Climate Change Program Work Team Fact Sheets Series 2012Fact Sheets Series, 2012.

• Local Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities:Local Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities: Understanding Municipal Official Perspectives. Cornell University Human Dimensions Research Unit, Outreach SeriesOutreach Series.

• Climate Change Adaptation and CommunityClimate Change Adaptation and Community Resilience. Community and Rural Development Institute (CaRDI) Research and Policy Brief.

Contacts/Questions:

Allison Chatrchyan (amc256@cornell.edu)www climatechange cornell eduwww.climatechange.cornell.edu

Shorna Allred (srb237@cornell.edu)Shorna Allred (srb237@cornell.edu)www.human-dimensions.org

Maureen Mullen (mlm394@cornell.edu)