BLUE RIBBON RESILIENT COMMUNITIES:
Envisioning The Future of America’s Energy Coast
In 2011 – 2012, the America’s WETLAND Foundation (AWF) and its America’s Energy Coast (AEC) partners are focusing on a new initiative: “BLUE RIBBON RESILIENT COMMUNITIES: Envisioning The Future of America’s Energy Coast” (BRRC).
The BRRC initiative is in response to the growing vulnerabilities along the Gulf Coast in the wake of coastal land loss and degrading landscapes that threaten coastal populations and indigenous cultures. The livelihoods of 12 million people living near the coast, the sustainability of rich natural resources that support $634 billion in annual GDP, and the security of residential, commercial and industrial assets valued at more than $2 trillion are increasingly vulnerable to storm surge, flooding, wind damage, and the effects of sea level rise. Recent natural events like Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike and man-made disasters, such as the BP oil spill, provide a glimpse of what the future could bring if we don’t plan for and invest in building more resilient, sustainable communities.
Blue Ribbon Resilient Communities/America’s Energy Coast Leadership Forums will be hosted in communities across the five Gulf States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. They will assess local vulnerabilities and empower the region to envision, plan and act to ensure resiliency and sustain cultural, economic and ecological values in the face of growing coastal degradation. The series of forums will also strengthen the local voice and provide more authentic solutions to envisioning the future.
As the process unfolds, a strong mix of research and coordinated planning will involve answering key questions:
- How do we protect what we value based on how vulnerable we are and the threats we face?
- Aligning with what we value, how do we prioritize solutions?
- Where do we start?