Vanderbilt faculty and staff have been key contributors to a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan that was released by Metro Nashville on Sept. 19. Jaclyn Mothupi, director of social innovation at the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, and Janey Camp, research professor of civil and environmental engineering, co-chaired the subcommittee on adaptation and resilience as part of Mayor John Cooper’s Sustainability Advisory Committee.
Built on earlier planning endeavors, the plan involved more than 50 Metro departments and numerous community stakeholders, including Vanderbilt, in its creation. The plan is the city’s initial attempt to address climate change with a focus on being prepared and adaptable. Its purpose is to guide Metro investments and initiatives.
Mothupi’s team at the Wond’ry facilitated workshops this summer with a dozen Metro departments to gain their input on the plan and discern how their teams could make resiliency part of their work.
“It is hugely important in building a sustainable and resilient Nashville that no one is left behind as we adapt to a changing climate,” said Mothupi, also co-creator of the Climate Innovation Accelerator. “I have great hope that we will continue to innovate, and this plan puts us on the path to becoming a stronger and more resilient city.”
“It’s exciting to see our city take steps to build resilience into operations and across the community,” said Camp, also director of the Vanderbilt Engineering Center for Transportation and Operational Resiliency. “Identifying Nashville’s key risk areas, vulnerabilities and corresponding adaptation strategies will improve the ability of the city and its partners to make informed decisions toward improved resilience for all our residents.”
The plan is a living document that outlines a wide range of plans to bolster and prepare Nashville across infrastructure, community and culture, natural environment, economy and public safety systems. This is aimed at helping the city become more resilient, recover from climate-related events and prosper despite them. It places a strong emphasis on the people of Nashville, recognizing that unequal access to opportunities, resources and a healthy environment has disproportionately affected some communities.
The university community is encouraged to participate in the public feedback period for the draft plan, which will remain open through Oct. 31.
More information about the plan is available online.