Planning Case Studies: Extreme Heat and Flooding in Phoenix and Baltimore
Two new publications by CAPLA Associate Professor of Planning and Udall Center Associate Research Professor Ladd Keith examine extreme weather events in two American cities: Phoenix, AZ and Baltimore, MD
Summer is here and that means “heat season” is in full swing here at the Udall Center!
Two new case studies looking at Phoenix, AZ and Baltimore, MD – both of which were published just last month – from Associate Professor Ladd Keith and other extreme heat researchers evaluate and discuss the tradeoffs urban planners may face when implementing extreme weather event mitigation plans.
Heat mitigation and management in the City of Phoenix, Arizona: A case study of America’s hottest large city; Journal of Urban Affairs
Occurrences of extreme heat are on the rise. Heat deaths in Phoenix, Arizona account for at least half of those reported in the U.S. Those most impacted and at risk of prolonged exposure tend to be low-income, elderly, and minority populations. This new case study seeks to understand the mechanisms the City of Phoenix has utilized to better govern extreme heat, as well as the various stakeholders involved in partnerships designed to address the unique issues extreme heat imposes on large cities.
A comparison of plan integration for flood and heat resilience: A case study of Baltimore, Maryland; International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
This peer-reviewed article identifies potential ‘trade-off’ policies, meaning policies designed to address one climate extreme with the potential for increasing vulnerabilities to another. The goal behind this case study is to build out a framework communities may utilize to compare their own infrastructure to one that considers trade-offs when planning for extreme floods and heat events. Closing knowledge gaps in city planning by creating this framework may help to alleviate the resource burdens in disadvantaged municipalities and help spur novel approaches in others.