As a society, we face challenges every single day, and this week, as Hurricane Dorian leaves its mark on the Bahamas and the rest of the Atlantic coastline, is no exception. Issues include the extreme weather events and destructive acts of nature that are becoming regular occurrences (floods, storms, hurricanes, fires), rampant inequality and housing shortages, and infrastructure built in the last century that is generally in need of an overhaul. Cities across the world are doing their best to cope, but Seattle is going one step further by creating a “Resilience Roadmap”. It joins a list of other cities also taking a resilience approach, including most recently Chicago, Miami, and Toronto, which all also adopted resilience plans in 2019.
One of America’s fastest-growing large cities, Seattle is rapidly expanding. With a population of that grew in the past eight years from 608,000 to over 730,000, there is no doubt that such rapid growth provides an opportunity for Seattle to tackle some of its biggest issues, including the changing climate, but also poverty, housing, and inequality.
The resilience plan encompasses four main ideas: opportunity, affordability, acceptance, and generational investment. Mayor Jenny Durkan knows that Seattle is a place of opportunity for all, and she wants to make that truly possible as they move into the future. Taking a holistic approach and making a plan is a good step in the right direction. We’ll be watching to see if it can deliver!
