Climate and Energy
There is growing recognition, in New Jersey and across the world, that a changing climate is a serious problem that will require urgent action. Concerns about carbon emissions have more and more people talking seriously about hybrid or electric cars, renewable energy, green building technology and other ways to reduce greenhouse gases and conserve energy. There is one crucial piece of the puzzle, however, that is often omitted from this conversation: the role of land use in influencing carbon emissions.
Land use—the decisions we make about where and how to develop—has a profound and lasting effect on our greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. And unlike cars or appliances, which can be replaced every few years if a newer, more efficient model comes along, the decisions we make about how to develop, and the impacts these decisions have on climate and energy, will be with us for generations. Poor land-use decisions not only lead to poor outcomes today, but they also limit our ability to reduce these impacts far into the future.
When people drive less, greenhouse gas emissions go down. There are many ways to help people drive less—working from home is one of them, but we can also reduce the need to travel by car by building things closer together, reducing the distances between people’s desired destinations.
Municipal leaders should use New Jersey Future’s new tool to update their town’s stormwater ordinance as soon as possible to increase green infrastructure and reduce flood risk.
New Jersey Future is proud to be an inaugural member of the important and growing Rise to Resilience coalition, a group of New Jersey and New York residents, leaders in the business, labor, and justice communities, volunteer organizations, scientists, and environmental advocates.
New Jersey Future analyzed 350 innovative strategies applied in 76 cities or regions that could serve as model initiatives to develop the 15 strategies detailed in the Local Options/Local Actions: Resilience Strategies Case Studies report for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
New Jersey Communities Discuss Climate Change Impact on Multi-Billion Dollar Sewer Improvement Plans.
A one-hour webinar explaining a new, parcel-based tool that assesses financial vulnerability to coastal flooding and sea-level rise. Friday, May 15, 2015, noon – 1:00 pm.
An interim report, three years after Hurricane Sandy, on New Jersey Future’s groundbreaking local recovery planning manager program, including lessons learned and recommendations. October 2015.
Oct. 28, 2014 — Two years after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, many of New Jersey’s coastal communities continue to struggle with recovery and rebuilding efforts. The highest community priority is to get people back into their homes, re-establish business operations and return to life as close to normal as possible. The elected officials who have led these efforts are hardworking heroes. But it’s also clear that recovery decisions made without a clear understanding of future risks can move people back into harm’s way, build infrastructure that will be damaged again, and waste taxpayer dollars.
Sept. 4, 2013 — Of all the recommendations that came out of President Obama’s Sandy Rebuilding Task Force Strategy, there is one that will help inform much of the other recovery planning that is currently being done: Incorporate projected sea-level rise into all decision-making.
2016 Smart Growth Awards: A large-scale, integrated design strategy will manage water along the Hudson riverfront, for both disaster mitigation and long-term growth, delivering multiple community co-benefits.
See all New Jersey Future Blog posts and articles in this category »
Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- 08/06/2019: Comments on Solar Siting Element of Energy Master Plan
- 07/15/2019: Comments on Draft Energy Master Plan
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Phase 2 Report 5-22-18
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Phase 2 Report appendices 5-22-18
- 02/01/2019: Comments on Phase 1 Stormwater Rule Amendment
- 01/30/2019: Testimony on CAFRA Center Extension
- 10/11/2018: Recommendations on Proposed Energy Master Plan
- 09/20/2018: Clean and Reliable Transportation Comments
- Mystic Island HIA Report 6-7-16
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 6
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 4
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 3 Figures
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report 2017
- 08/15/2017: Statement on Rescission of Flood Risk Management Standard
- 08/10/17: Broccoli joint committee climate change hearing testimony
- 08/10/2017: Testimony for NJ Joint Environment Committee
- New Jersey Future 2017 Gubernatorial Platform
- Little Egg Harbor Township Vulnerability Assessment Report 02-2015
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Maurice River 05-2015
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Commercial 12-2015
- NJFuture-In-Deep-10-15-WEB
- Risk analysis public mtg presentation Tuckerton-Little Egg Harbor 4-14-15
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Tuckerton 4-15-15
- Sea Bright exposure analysis
- New Jersey Future Stormwater Utilities Report 9-14 (Intern Report)
- Agenda for Change
- 03/05/2014: Sandy Action Plan Amendment Planning Letter
- 03/05/2014: Sandy Action Plan Amendment Resiliency Letter
- 02/12/2014: Testimony on Proposed Sandy Plan Still Puts Taxpayer Dollars at Risk
- 03/19/2013: New Jersey Future CDBG-DR comments
- JDrill Outline for APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- RSolomon Solar Siting Presentation APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- LSpecca Solar Presentation APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- Smart Growth NJ August 2011 Poll Report
- Assessment of Solar Siting in New Jersey 5-11 (Intern report)
- Presentation: Land Preservation Using Off-site Clustering 03-19-11
