Project

Living Solutions

As communities the world over struggle to adapt to the effects of climate change, science is clearly showing that natural solutions like wetland restorations and tree plantings are often more cost-effective and adaptable than engineering-based alternatives like seawalls and air conditioning. They also improve ecological health, helping to address not only climate change but the other great environmental crisis of our time — biodiversity losses.

New York City’s world-leading climate adaptation and resilience programs and its citizens and nonprofit communities are pioneering efforts to put this theory into practice. A series of stories by Climate Central and Science Friday investigating these efforts will highlight work that could be replicated elsewhere.

While wetlands can protect communities from risks as seas rise, a national feature story by Climate Central and The Guardian will examine risks when there is a lack of planning for the movement of marshes when seas rise.

And through the Earth Institute’s connections with New York City schools through the Department of Education, the project will reach K12 educators and provide them with an opportunity to bring cutting-edge science into their classrooms through the content produced with this grant.