For the Times: Climate

One example of the university’s climate resilience focus in action is a 2022 report by the Advisory Group, led by the UMass Boston School for the Environment.

“Climate Change Impacts and Projections for the Greater Boston Area,” provides detailed information on likely changes over this century to temperature, groundwater, sea-level rise and coastal flooding, river and storm water flooding, and storms and precipitation.

The report’s primary conclusion: Reaching net-zero emissions worldwide by 2050 is essential in order to prevent catastrophic levels of warming and sea-level rise, as well as achieve the best outcomes for the City of Boston and the Greater Bostonarea.

“We know that the window of time to act on climate change is closing quickly and it is critical to align our policies and programs with the latest science,” said Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu. “The GBRAG report analyzes Boston’s climate risk projections so we can make the most informed decisions on how to protect our communities.”

“ IT IS CRITICAL TO ALIGN OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMS WITH THE LATEST SCIENCE.”

BOSTON MAYOR MICHELLE WU

The Greater Boston Research Advisory Group undertook the report in response to a 2016 Climate Ready Boston recommendation that called for climate change projections to be updated every five years. Funded by the Barr Foundation and now also including the city and town members of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the group’s charge is to provide the latest information that can be used to inform near-term and long-term strategies to address climate mitigation and resilience. The report does not make policy recommendations or suggest strategies. Each municipality is free to digest the findings and take their own actions specific to their projections. “We are proud to deliver these updated projections—a collaborative analysis featuring contributions from some of the leading scientists in the world—and are empowered bythe opportunity to continue these critical updates every five years aswe near targets and decisions on climate actions become more highstakes,” said School for the Environment Professor Paul Kirshen, aco-lead for the report.

“With this new information, the City of Boston and MAPC cities and towns across Massachusetts are armed with the most up-to-date research representing an analytic backbone for development of climate adaptation and mitigation plans and policies,” said Ellen Douglas, also a professor at the School for the Environment and the other co-author.

Unsurprisingly, the report found that the frequency of extreme weather events is expected to increase. It also shines a light on underreported climate risks such as decreased groundwater recharge, which has far-reaching consequences for infrastructure, agriculture, the availability of drinking water, and more.