What defines a coastal city?
Autumn 2022
Welcome to the very first issue of Urban Ocean Lab’s newsletter! We’re so glad you’re here. We’ll be in your inbox every few months to:
Update you on our work to cultivate rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities;
Highlight important efforts that our partners are leading; and
Share key resources at the intersection of cities, climate, and our ocean–i.e., the fascinating things we’re reading, and exciting examples of what’s working.
A little about us: Urban Ocean Lab was founded by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Jean Flemma, and Marquise Stillwell, who work closely with a team of policy experts, scientists, designers, planners, researchers, and communicators—all connected by a shared commitment to build more climate-ready coastal cities and improve the lives of the people who call them home.
AUTUMN FEATURE: What defines a coastal city?
The definition of “coastal city” is, of course, foundational to our work. But the further we dug into it, the more elusive it became. There being no standard definition, we examined key parameters and data and developed our own:
“A densely inhabited place in a coastal county with a population of 50,000 or more.”
Using this definition, we conducted a rigorous analysis and uncovered a number of new and valuable demographic insights that support the need for more equitable and effective climate policy solutions.
Hot off the presses is our latest publication, By the Numbers: Definition, Demographics, and Climate Risks of U.S. Coastal Cities.
Our key findings:
375: There are 375 coastal cities in the United States.
20%: Over 65 million people—20% of the U.S. population—live in coastal cities.
60%: Nearly 60% of the population of U.S. coastal cities identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
1 in 5: The future of coastal cities is not a topic for the “coastal elite”—it affects 1 in 5 people in the U.S.
WHAT’S WORKING: SPONGE CITIES
Floodplains and wetlands act as natural “sponges,” preventing erosion and runoff by absorbing and slowly releasing water. But rapid urban expansion into these ecosystems, combined with climate change, is leading to more frequent and intense flooding and more severe drought in cities, putting low-lying places (often communities of color or low-income communities) at high risk.
One solution is creating “sponge cities” that use blue-green infrastructure—like permeable surfaces and “living” sea walls—to help cities absorb, clean, and re-use excess water. Read more here and here about how cities around the world are implementing these solutions.
WORTHWHILE READS
Billions in Climate Deal Funding Could Help Protect U.S. Coastal Cities (New York Times)
Blueprint for Ocean Climate Action: Recommendations for the Ocean Policy Committee (90+ ocean organizations and businesses)
5 Major Benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Climate Investments (Center for American Progress)
As Federal Climate-Fighting Tools are Taken Away, Cities and States Step Up (New York Times)
Biden Administration Announces Historic Coastal and Climate Resilience Funding (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Shoring up Coastlines and Communities with Green Infrastructure (Grist)
Design Emergency: Building a Better Future (Paola Antonelli (UOL Advisor) & Alice Rawsthorne)
TEAM BULLETIN
Science & Society: The Future of Coastal Cities
On October 3rd at 7pm, UOL advisors Kate Orff and Bryan Lee will join UOL co-founder Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, NY for a live, in-person discussion about how design, technology, collectivism, and nature can help achieve a thriving future for coastal cities. RSVP here.
Black Climate Leadership Summit
Ayana is joining the summit on September 21st—organized by Taproot Earth—that brings together Black climate trailblazers and emerging & global climate leaders. The event will address existing climate impacts across the Black diaspora, identify and share solutions from community leaders, and prepare to bring collective voices together for COP27.
UN Ocean Conference
Jean Flemma, UOL co-founder and Director of the Ocean Defense Initiative, attended the conference in Lisbon in June. In partnership with Azul and the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, she interviewed U.S. officials and advocates on the need for ocean climate action. Watch the interview series on Azul’s YouTube channel.
TED2022
Ayana presented a mainstage talk: “How to Find Joy in Climate Action.” It’s live on TED.com—you can watch it here.
New England Aquarium’s BlueSwell Demo Day
UOL co-founder Marquise Stillwell keynoted the event and spoke about the tools he uses to create better conditions for how we can adapt to climate change and how community can build momentum in bluetech industries. Check out BlueSwell to learn more about bluetech innovation.
State Department’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board
Secretary Blinken announced his selections for the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign AffairsPolicy Board. Ayana will serve on the board and lend her expertise on ocean and climate issues, which are key to foreign policy.
Urban Ocean Lab cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities. To support our work: spread the word by forwarding this newsletter and consider making a tax deductible donation.