Urban Systems As Place-Based Foci For Infrastructure Interactions - Climate Change and Infrastructure, Urban Systems, and Vulnerabilities - page 44

Whether a city's transportation system moves mainly people or whether it tends to
transport large volumes of goods also affects the risks associated with climate change.
Climate impacts on power and telecommunication systems can create additional risks in
the transportation network. Furthermore, transportation systems can play a key role in
climate change mitigation, such as the adoption of energy-efficient taxis, and enhance-
ment of public transportation systems with accompanying reduction in individual ve-
hicle miles traveled.
4) PUBLIC HEALTH
Cities are subject to demanding health risks from climate change since larger and higher
density population amplifies the potential for negative outcomes (Barata et al., 2011;
Barreca, 2010; English et al., 2009). Climate change is likely to exacerbate existing health
risks in cities such as poor air quality (Jacob and Winner 2009) and to create new ones.
Increases in the number of poor and elderly populations in cities also compound the
threats of heat and vector-related illnesses (O'Neill, 2009; Gosling et al., 2009; Balbus
et al., 2009; Bartlet et al., 2009; Luber and McGeelin, 2008). Cities with stressed exist-
ing water services are at a greater risk of drought (Reid and Kovats, 2009). Heat waves
add further stresses, especially for the poor and disadvantaged. Other significant health
related issues can arise with sea level rise and increased flooding in coastal zones (Mc-
Granahan et. al., 2007).
Since the infrastructure for health protection is already overburdened in many coun-
try cities, climate change adaptation strategies should focus on the most vulnerable
urban residents (O'Neill et al., 2010). Adaptation and mitigation strategies associated
with public health issues in cities are integrated with strategies for other sectors and ser-
vices (Frumkin et. al., 2008; WHO, 2009). Such strategies need to promote “co-benefits”
such that they ameliorate the existing and usually unequally-distributed urban health
hazards, as well as helping to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts (Barata et.
al., 2011; Bell et. al., 2007). For example, efforts to reduce urban heat islands by passive
approaches such as tree planting, green roofs, and permeable pavements will promote
positive health outcomes as well as energy savings associated with reduced air condi-
tioning use (Stone et al., 2010; Hamin and Gurran, 2009; Bell et. al., 2007). Other public
health adaptation strategies include: improve water and energy service, regulate setle-
ment growth in flood plains, and expand health surveillance and early warning systems
utilizing both technology and social networks.
5) URBAN LAND USE AND PLANNING
Urban land use can modify climate change vulnerability through awareness of natural
seting, design of urban form and the built environment, and active reduction of the
extent of the urban heat island effect (Blanco et. al., 2011; Ntelekos et al., 2010; Blanco
and Alberti, 2009). Cities can enhance their adaptive capacity to climate change through
their urban land management, which includes the legal and political systems, planning
departments, zoning regulations, infrastructure and urban services, land markets, and
fiscal arrangement. The effectiveness of urban planning and management of climate
change response is highly dependent on coordination, since many metropolitan areas
are politically fragmented. Smaller and mid-sized cities often have additional burdens