What is a CVAAP and why complete one?
A CVAAP identifies community assets, systems, and populations that are susceptible to climate change. A vulnerability assessment is a necessary step in developing a climate adaptation strategy because it identifies and characterizes the environmental, infrastructural, and social elements of a community that need adaptive measures. Drafting a CVAAP includes the following steps:
• Identify climatic hazards occurring and likely to occur within the geographic boundary of interest.
• Identify community assets, systems, and populations currently and likely to be exposed to the identified climatic hazards.
• Assess the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of each exposed asset, system, and population to each applicable hazard.
• Use a prioritization methodology to rank each identified community facet to inform adaptation strategies.
• Define and initiate a public engagement strategy, starting with the co-creation of a community climate adaptation and resilience vision.
• Develop and prioritize strategies to adapt to changing conditions and achieve the community’s resilience vision.
• Seek feedback and input into the prioritized strategies and the vision from key stakeholders, including frontline communities, as well as the general public.
A CVAAP increases local awareness and literacy of climate vulnerability and resilience and encourages a community to take ownership and support implementation of actions.
There are numerous hazards resulting from climate change. Based on scientific data collected over decades, the largest threats to Westchester County stem from increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and changing precipitation patterns. These hazards cause social, environmental, and infrastructure damage and losses.
To avoid such damage today and into the future, the Town and Village of Ossining works with partners, such as community-based organizations, regional planning organizations, states, and federal agencies, to increase resiliency and adapt to these conditions. Devastating storms, such as Tropical Storm Isaias and
Irene and Superstorm Sandy, have reinforced this need and led communities in Westchester County, such as Ossining, to climate action resiliency planning to protect residents and mitigate risk. Ultimately, leadership on climate resilience will reduce the exposure and vulnerability of citizens, infrastructure, and ecosystems, and will serve as a model for communities across New York State and the country.
The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The program offers grants, rebates for electric vehicles, and free technical assistance, and also provides a framework for implementing climate-smart resiliency actions. A Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan (CVAAP) is a fundamental action taken as part of the CSC Program, as it identifies community assets, systems, and populations that are susceptible to climate change. A CVAAP is a necessary step in developing a climate adaptation strategy because it identifies and characterizes the environmental, infrastructural, and social elements of a community that need adaptive measures. The CSC Program ensures that recommendations to promote community resiliency are based on climate science and relevant data and address the top hazards in a community.
Among Ossining’s key findings included the impact of rising temperatures and heat waves on vulnerable populations, and the effects of sea level rise and flooding on local roads, highways, dams, and low-lying buildings, train tracks, and electrical conductors. The CVAAP also considers the multitude of secondary effects from changing precipitation patterns, i.e., heavier downpours on trees and wires creating power outages, as well as on storm drains and undersized culverts or passages that become easily clogged and overwhelmed.
The Village and Town of Ossining recognizes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are catalyzing climate change, the consequences of which pose risks to the future health, wellbeing, and prosperity of our community. Attention to GHG emissions and issues-related, have been subject in our Climate Action Plan (2010), and the Comprehensive Plan (2022).
The Climate Action Planning Institute Adaptation (CAPI Adapt) , a project of the Hudson Valley Regional Council, and funded by the DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program, via the New York State Environmental Protection Fund - provided technical assistance. The Town and Village of Ossining created CAPI Adapt teams to focus on the creation of the CVAAP. The framework provided mandates an inclusive process, with public outreach and engagement each step of the way. Among other community engagement efforts, Members of the Town of Ossining and Village of Ossining CAPI Adapt Teams met with municipal officials and committees, tabled at local events, and attended CAPI Adapt cohort trainings and meetings, including a full day kick-off workshop where the cohort was presented with top local climate hazards, prepared by the Hudson River Estuary Program.
Source: District of Squamish, BC: https://squamish.ca/climate-action/local-action/adaptation/
The attached draft plan has been created by the Village and Town of Ossining. Actions recommended in this combined municipal draft will reduce the effects of climate change on our residents.
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Please note that the deadline to submit feedback is Tuesday, Februrary 11th, 2025
