Do we have Resiliently measure in place to withstand the effects of Henri?
How do communities and people manage climate risk so everyone can prosper rather than be a victim. The rain is coming down hard this morning and hurricane Henri is expected to make landfall this afternoon here in the US. The epicenter could possibly hit Southampton, Long Island where I have close friends living near the shoreline. They are saying it’s another perfect storm with a full moon and two hightide cycles to go through.
It’s been close to 30 years since the last major hurricane took this path and caused devastating damage to the power grid leaving people without electricity for weeks. Last night as the hurricane was creeping closer, I was watching the news in preparation for the necessary measures to take and the news caster said Long Island and parts of Connecticut can expect power outages to last anywhere from 7-10 days.
My reaction, along with many other people, was… “Really! 7-10 days!” Haven’t we learned anything from the past and even more so from the recent years that have been the most devastating around the world? What happened to the race for global climate resilience? Our governments need to understand, as I think some are starting to, that we need to putt people and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses but thrive in spite of them!
As I mentioned yesterday in my blog, I believe we are racing towards a better world in an effort to achieve a net zero economy and focusing on the residential housing stock here in the US. Today, the climate resilience race must include everyday people, businesses, cities, regions, investors, and civil societies working together to transform the built environment to become regenerative and resilient.
Many lives around the world are being ruined by climate change and we must act now and run these races together to prevent billions of more lives that will be affected! When we cross these finish lines together, we can ensure that all communities especially the most vulnerable will not just survive but thrive!
As I mentioned many times before, it’s not just one race, one solution or one person that will get us to the finish line. We can win the gold metal by all of us working together, replacing our old ways with new regenerative, sustainable, and forward-thinking actions.