Climate Action Planning Institute Adaptation (CAPI Adapt)

What is CAPI Adapt?

The CAPI Adaptation project (aka CAPI Adapt) is an optional component to the original CAPI program consisting of two deliverables, a 1) Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and 2) Climate Adaptation Chapter.  The Climate Adaptation will be a chapter in the municipality's Climate Action Plan.

HVRC is providing technical assistance to 15 CAPI Adapt cohort participants in partnership with ICLEI. The Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP), the program’s funder, is also supporting the program with climate-related technical knowledge.  Municipalities will be examining their vulnerabilities and assets to determine which assets are most critical. they will be identifying the most serious climate threats to the region and outlining solutions to help protect local vulnerable assets. Cohort members will be learning from experts in the resiliency field, and other municipal participants, to create plans that are informed by the latest climate science and are highly local in nature. Relevant funding opportunities as a result of these planning efforts will be discussed.

CAPI Adapt began in February 2024 and runs for 12 months. It is only open to communities that participated in the initial CAPI program.

What is a Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) and why is it important?

Climate adaptation or resilience begins with understanding hazards posed by a changing climate and identifying community vulnerabilities. The Climate Smart Communities program recommends that local governments complete a CVA as one of the first and most foundational steps in developing an effective strategy for adapting to climate change at the local level.

Assessing local vulnerabilities and risks helps identify and prioritize actions to reduce risks to the community. In conducting a CVA, the local government must consider current and future conditions. For example, in assessing the risk of flooding along tidal coastlines, a community should include conditions associated with projected sea level rise in 2050 and 2100.

What is a Climate Adaptation Plan and why is it important?

The goal of creating a Climate Adaptation Plan is to address vulnerabilities uncovered in your CVA and from past planning gap analyses.  (See PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience as recommended preparation for your Climate adaptation planning.) The Climate Adaptation Plan outlines a vision and set of strategies to improve a community’s resilience to climate change based on its local physical, economic, and social vulnerabilities. Strategies will address the vulnerable community assets identified in your CVA.

What is the resource and time commitment to complete these plans?

Time estimates for work completion is difficult to assess. There is some preparatory work recommended in researching similar or related municipal documents, uncovering planning gaps, and analyzing relevant work to date, as well as a public engagement component. On timeframe and resources, Climate Smart Communities writes: “Local governments can anticipate a timeline of approximately six months to one year or more to develop a comprehensive climate adaptation plan.”

Our best estimates for expected time commitment over the 11 month program are (in addition to the current CAPI cohort mitigation meetings):

• Climate Vulnerability Assessment: Approximately 4-6 meetings, each lasting about 1-2 hrs, plus approximately 3-9 hours per month across 2-3 persons.
• Climate Adaptation Chapter:  An additional 4-6 meetings, each lasting about 1-2 hrs, plus approximately 3-9 hours per month across 2-3 persons.

We are planning for 10-12 months for completion of both deliverables. Note that less municipal administration involvement is generally required for the adaptation component than for the mitigation component.

What do these plans look like?

Examples of Climate Vulnerability Assessments:

• Town of Pound Ridge
• Town of Hyde Park and City of Poughkeepsie
• Village of Hastings-on-Hudson
• Town of Pleasant Valley

Examples of Climate Adaptation Plans:

• City of Schenectady Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report
• Warren County Hazard Mitigation Plan and reference to Climate Adaptation Strategies
• City of Kingston Climate Adaptation Plan

Which municipalities have signed up for CAPI Adapt?