TOWARD URBAN CLIMATE RESILIENCE: A POLICY ASSESSMENT OF TUCSON, ARIZONA

Abstract

Climate change is a phenomenon that threatens to alter the way societies exist and function in varied ways. As governments the world over scramble to find solutions in dealing with the effects of climate change, local climate policy arguably matters the most, at least on a short-term level. After all, cities and municipalities are the places in which localized climate effects are felt and seen by individuals. Urban climate resilience is an ideal that envisions cities that are prepared for the challenges that arise with a warming world. An emerging concept for guiding planners and policymakers for dealing with climate change, fostering urban climate resilience has gained traction in governance circles. This thesis focuses on the city of Tucson, Arizona, and the ways that the city has integrated climate resilience-building measures into its planning and policies.