Hurricane Sandy: A Chance to Identify Vulnerabilities, Learn from the Past, and Increase Future Resiliency

Hurricane Sandy was an eye-opening event for the New York City area. It revealed many vulnerabilities, especially flaws in zoning and infrastructure designs. Natural science data helps to determine that rising sea levels and increased intensity of storms due to climate change will make this area even more vulnerable. Other impacts of climate change may pose even more threats to this area. Three disciplines, environmental history, ecological design, and governmental policy, will be used to best approach these future issues. It is important to have a better understanding of the past environmental history of the area, where ecological design can then build off of this information. Meanwhile, governmental policy shows how we can improve and promote change through policy. Rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy is an opportunity to consider the future impacts of climate change by starting to rebuild with goals of resilience and long-term sustainability, which is crucial. In doing so, we would be more prepared in the future for not only another storm like Hurricane Sandy, but for other future impacts of climate change as well