Eugene and Springfield produced a detailed and replicable assessment of how climate change will impact essential urban systems, and lessons learned have shaped a new mitigation plan.
In 2013, the neighboring cities of Eugene and Springfield, Oregon, conducted a Climate and Hazards Vulnerability Assessment, which evaluated the local impacts likely to result from future climate change, in addition to impacts from existing hazards. The process evaluated 12 essential community sectors, such as drinking water, electricity, transportation, and stormwater, and scored them based on their adaptive capacity. Results indicated, for example, that housing and public safety are the least adaptive sectors, and that drinking water, transportation, and public safety should be considered for prioritized funding. The assessment also showcased the interdependencies between systems and the nature and magnitude of vulnerabilities.
Lessons learned from the Vulnerability Assessment were used to develop numerous strategies to reduce risk from climate change and natural hazards, such as securing alternative water sources, as well as creating updates to floodplain maps, which are now contained within the updated 2015 Eugene/Springfield Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan and being actively implemented. After taking care to ensure their method is replicable and sharable, Eugene and Springfield hope other cities can utilize and learn from their Vulnerability Assessment.
$4 saved by the community for every $1 spent on climate mitigation actions due in part to the lessons learned through the Climate and Hazards Vulnerability Assessment
The challenge
Eugene has already suffered from flooding and earthquakes, and faces threats from further flooding, reduced snowpack, and wildfires because of climate change. In order to understand the likely effects of these threats on essential community systems, the city conducted a Climate and Hazards Vulnerability Assessment, setting the foundation for strategies aiming to reduce the impact of climate change.
Co-benefits
Economic Based on the recommendations from the assessment, the cities have completed earthquake evaluations and retrofits of municipal buildings.
Environmental By implementing building codes for fire-resistant construction as recommended by the assessment, fewer homes will be damaged, meaning fewer raw materials will need to be extracted for re-building purposes.
Health Successful wildfire mitigation through the plan will reduce smoke intrusion into the populated metro area, reducing the health impacts on the young, elderly, and those with existing heart and lung ailments.
Social The cities have conducted educational outreach programs from the Vulnerability Assessment, linking the new strategies directly to the residents.
About Eugene
Eugene is a city of the Pacific Northwest located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the second most populous city in the state (after Portland) and the 146th largest metropolitan statistical area in the US. Eugene is home to the University of Oregon and the city is also noted for its natural environment, recreational opportunities, and focus on the arts. Eugene’s official slogan is “A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors”. It is also referred to as the “Emerald City”.
