Applying international resilience learning to address domestic challenges
The Program
2012 – ongoing
Geographic scope: USA
Partners: Adaptation International, SCIPP, CLIMAS, Western Water Assessment, ATMOS Research, Ecology & Environment, BoCo Strong, BDO Inc., Zurich North America, DuPont
Funders: NOAA, American Red Cross, Rockefeller Foundation, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Z Zurich Foundation, Zurich North America, DuPont
Overview
Though ISET-International has primarily worked overseas, we have a growing US portfolio of work. Through this work, we have learned that approaching domestic challenges with a global perspective allows us to frame both problems and potential solutions very differently, and typically more effectively, than do most domestic organizations and businesses. Resilience work proceeds much faster when cultural blinders are removed and the best of global learning is actively leveraged.
Highlights
Community Resilience in the Face of Disaster: A Case Study from Boulder, Colorado (Funded by American Red Cross, Rockefeller Foundation)
In September 2013, Boulder County and the Colorado Front Range region of the United States was inundated by an unprecedented rain event, both in terms of amount of rain, the geographic spread, and duration. Though parts of the region managed the water well, other areas were overwhelmed, causing considerable damage. This study uses a resilience lens to explore what happened before, during, and after the floods to understand where the county and its inhabitants were and were not resilient and why.
Putting a lens on resilience (Funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs)
Understanding and prioritizing interventions to build resilience requires a shared understanding of what resilience is and how to identify it when we see it, a clear sense of what we’re already doing to build resilience, and a common understanding of where we have opportunities to further build our resilience. This assessment, conducted for BoCoStrong, introduces the concept and value of building resilience and presents a ‘Resilience Lens’ that can be used to bring into focus what is and is not resilient in the world around us. Using this lens, the report then explores, across sectors, scales, and geography, where Boulder County, Colorado is resilient or faces resilience challenges and presents opportunities for further building county resilience.
Using Critical Thresholds to Customize Climate Projections of Extreme Events to User Needs and Support Decisions (Funded by NOAA)
Working in four small- to mid-sized towns in South-Central USA, ISET and partners piloted a participatory process to identify locally relevant critical thresholds for extreme events and to use those thresholds to customize climate projections. Data customization increased the tangibility and actionability of the data, which in turn led to greater participant understanding and engagement. With funding from the project, participants developed and implemented pilot climate adaptation projects.
Colorado County Resiliency Planning (Funded by Colorado Department of Local Affairs)
Following several extreme fires and floods in Colorado, Ecology & Environment, Inc. retained ISET to collaborate on a state-funded project working with three of the hardest hit counties — Boulder, El Paso and Larimer — to develop an approach and template for county resiliency planning. The resulting plans, developed with government staff, non-profits, the private sector, and individuals, represent the counties’ commitment to a more resilient future. The plans leverage community knowledge, priorities, and values to analyze potential shocks and stresses and develop a holistic strategy with concrete activities that can be implemented to enhance resiliency.
Institutionalizing Resiliency into State of Colorado Investment & Operations (Funded by Colorado Department of Local Affairs)
The state of Colorado was one of the first states in the USA to look beyond disaster response and recovery and work towards resilience. This project deepened existing resiliency efforts by working with participants from a range of state government departments to define how resiliency applies to their department’s missions and can be incorporated into their budgetary processes, operations, and funding criteria. A key outcome of the work is the Colorado Resiliency Playbook.
For more information: visit the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Colorado Resiliency Playbook website
California wildfires: Building resilience from the ashes (Funded by Zurich North America and DuPont)
This study was a collaboration between Zurich North America, DuPont, and ISET-International to identify lessons learned from four of the largest and most destructive wildfires experienced in California in 2017 and 2018 and provide clear recommendations for enhancing wildfire resilience. Study insights are drawn from desk research and interviews with wildfire-impacted Californians, including homeowners, business leaders and university officials, as well as civic and nonprofit representatives involved in risk reduction, response, and recovery.
Regional Resiliency and Recovery Roadmaps Program (Colorado Department of Local Affairs)
The Roadmaps program provided technical assistance, expertise, and other support to 16 Regional Community Teams (comprised of counties and municipalities) in Colorado. ISET-International and BDO, Inc. worked with the Central San Juan High Alpine team made up of the counties of Dolores, Hinsdale, San Juan, San Miguel, and Ouray and their seven municipalities. The goal of the Central San Juan High Alpine team is to collaborate across jurisdictions to improve public land management and support sustainable tourism, recreation, and hazard mitigation. ISET and BDO supported the team to create a feasible, fundable resilience action plan; begin implementation of the plan; and broaden the buy-in from local elected officials beyond those already participating.