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Why Resilient Cities Need Resilience Offices
A tour of two US cities' Offices of Climate Resilience, what they do, and why they matter
Louie Woodall
August 22, 2024
AI-generated via DALL-E
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TL;DR
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu launched the city’s Office of Climate Resilience earlier this month
The new unit is the latest in a long line of dedicated resilience offices set up over the last decade as part of an effort spearheaded by the Rockefeller Foundation and now the Resilient Cities Network
Resilience offices exist to coordinate climate-proofing activities with other city agencies, local communities, and private sector businesses
They also have an important role to play in advancing environmental justice
But resilience offices cannot operate alone. They require political leadership to be effective
An ongoing challenge is proving their value for money, and showing city residents the upsides of climate-proofing
New York’s got one. So does Miami. Now Boston has one, too.
All these cities have dedicated Offices of Climate Resilience (OCRs). These are hubs of climate-proofing action and expertise focused on hardening their respective metropolises against climate risks, and helping them bounce back faster and stronger from their impacts — physical, economic, and otherwise.
Boston’s OCR was officially constituted earlier this month. It’s being led by long-time public servant Chris Osgood, who sat down with Climate Proof to discuss its role and purpose.
On paper, its mission is clear: to accelerate Boston’s response to climate hazards, including coastal flooding, extreme heat, and storm impacts, and work with other agencies to make the city’s neighborhoods more livable.
However, as Osgood explains, the OCR is not its own tightly circumscribed fiefdom, one siloed away from the rest of city government. “Our interest here is about building capacity, not about centralizing efforts. The strategy here in Boston really is an all-of-government approach,” he says.
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