Climate-Resilient Cities (lessons from Boston, USA)

Ava Lily

The beautiful city of Boston in the USA (indeed named after settlers in the same-named town in Lincolnshire) has suffered like most cities, from severe flooding.

But rather than just ‘go with the flow’ and listen to climate deniers (like President Trump and his merry men), mayor Michelle Wu has created the country’s first Climate Resilience Plan for a city, which is having huge positive effects. And could also be used here, to prevent floods in England.

Some of the ideas being used include:

Raising the Waterfront to Stop Flooding. Boston lies at the edge of the Atlantic, so tidal flooding and storm surges keep city planners on their toes. Parts of East Boston and South Boston now have higher parks and raised roads. The city uses plants and green spaces to soak up the extra water.
Strong Building Codes for New Homes. New buildings must use stronger materials, sit above flood lines, and handle strong winds. This move makes new homes and offices safer when storms hit. These codes also ask for better insulation, strong windows, and backup power for lifts and lights.
Public parks, gardens, and plants play a big part in Boston’s fight against climate change. The city plants trees in neighbourhoods short on shade and updates playgrounds and sports fields with better drainage. These changes reduce heat, clean the air, and manage rainwater.
More Clean & Green Public Transport. The city replaces diesel buses with electric ones and adds more bike lanes and walking paths. Extra trains during busy hours help more people leave their cars at home. The city’s “Bluebikes” scheme lets anyone borrow a bike for quick trips.

A truly progressive green mayor

A Harvard graduate, Mayor Wu has won a second term, despite her rival spending millions of dollars. She has passed laws to protect wetlands, brought in a plastic bag ban (all while delaying her studies to care for her sick mother).

In a strong defence to her right-wing critics, Michelle a is a practicing Catholic, whose action on climate change is a response to Pope Francis’ call that it is a sacred duty to protect God’s planet.