Boston is advancing its climate change efforts by establishing the Office of Climate Resilience. This new department, part of the city’s Environment, Energy, and Open Space cabinet, aims to protect residents from rising sea levels, inland flooding, and extreme heat. The goal is to turn comprehensive climate plans into actionable solutions, ensuring the city’s preparedness for future climate challenges.
"The purpose of the Office of Climate Resilience is to accelerate the city’s progress on the climate challenges that our city faces by helping us speed that transition between really thoughtful plans and really effective action," said Chris Osgood, the office’s new director.
Boston has already made significant strides through its Climate Ready Boston initiative, which maps the anticipated effects of climate change on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. These plans, incorporating community input, propose measures like redesigning waterfront parks, increasing tree planting, and modernizing the city’s sewer system. The complexity of these plans requires coordination across multiple city departments and collaboration with state and federal agencies and private businesses.
Brian Swett, the city’s first climate chief, highlighted the necessity for a dedicated office to focus on climate resilience. “Meeting the climate challenge may require an all-of-government delivery approach,” Swett said. “There needs to be a single office focused on climate resilience in Boston if we’re going to make the progress that we know is necessary.”
The Office of Climate Resilience will coordinate efforts across city departments, community groups, and residents to implement the recommendations from the Climate Ready Boston plans quickly, equitably, and effectively. Immediate tasks include expanding Boston’s tree canopy to mitigate extreme summer heat and constructing green infrastructure to protect neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding.
“Our objective isn’t just to protect against the climate threats,” Osgood said. “It’s making sure that we’re both more resilient in the face of climate change and also a more livable city going forward.”
Kate Dineen, president of A Better City, a sustainable development nonprofit, expressed support for the new office. “Our resilience is key to our economic competitiveness,” she said. “This is a welcome and critical investment in the organizational structure of the city.”
Dineen also praised Osgood's appointment, citing his strategic and collaborative approach. Osgood’s previous roles as interim Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space and Mayor Michelle Wu’s senior advisor on infrastructure make him well-suited for this role.
Richard Galvin, CEO of CV Properties, supported this initiative. “Boston has been among the most proactive cities in working with the business community to address resiliency needs,” he said. “The decision to establish this new office will create an even stronger process for coordinating across the private, government, and other interests involved with solving the impacts of climate change and extreme weather.”
Boston’s 47 miles of coastline are vulnerable to rising sea levels and storm surges. Since 1950, sea levels around Boston have risen about eight inches, with projections indicating an additional nine-inch rise by the 2030s. Additionally, Boston has seen an increase in average temperatures, with more frequent and intense heatwaves and an uptick in the frequency and intensity of storms, including heavy rainfall events that can lead to inland flooding.
The Office of Climate Resilience will start with Osgood and five other staff members who are already working on resilience issues within the environment department. Establishing the new office is budget-neutral, ensuring that resources are optimized without additional financial burden on the city.
