Title
Resolution from the Environmental Commission Recommending that Ann Arbor City Council create a Staff Adaptation Team
Memorandum
The attached resolution recommends that the Ann Arbor City Council direct the City Administrator to take the necessary steps to better integrate climate adaptation across the city organization. The resolution recommends that the city create a standing adaptation team of city staff from relevant service areas and units along with possible external organizations that can provide pertinent resources and expertise. The adaptation team
Resolved, the Adaptation team should work together to identify adaptation needs and coordinate implementation across departments to 1) develop priority adaptation strategies 2) recommend practices and policies that build resilience to climate change impacts, and 3) share best available climate science to support staff decisions and planning projects to enhance Ann Arbor's resilience.
Staff
Prepared by Commissioner Hutton
Body
Whereas, the total annual precipitation in Ann Arbor has increased 44% between 1951 and 2012;
Whereas, climate models predict Ann Arbor will experience an additional 2-4 inches of rainfall each year, increased drought, more consecutive high-heat days, and shorter winters;
Whereas, on December 17, 2012, the Ann Arbor City Council adopted the Ann Arbor Climate Action Plan that calls for the integration of climate adaptation into city operations to build resilience, prepare for extreme events, and prevent future negative outcomes;
Whereas, the Mayor of Ann Arbor has signed on to the Compact of Mayors, an international compact that commits cities to assessing vulnerabilities to climate change and developing and pursuing adaptation strategies to minimize these vulnerabilities;
Whereas, Ann Arbor's current adaptation practices and policies to build climate resilience are not consistently coordinated across service areas;
Whereas, climate adaptation is not co...
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