Integrating Climate Change into Scenario Planning: Can Mitigation Measures Also Make a Region More Resilient?

Abstract

The Central New Mexico Climate Change Scenario Planning Project integrated climate change analysis into a land use and transportation scenario planning process in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area. In addition to traditional transportation and accessibility indicators, the Mid-Region Council of Governments and federal and local project partners used spatial analysis to test the benefits of a preferred scenario against climate change–related performance measures. The project found that in central New Mexico, emphasizing growth in priority development areas, such as activity centers and transit nodes, not only reduced vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions but also proved to be more sustainable by attracting development to desired locations and reducing the amount of growth in areas subject to the risk of climate change impacts such as wildfires and flooding.

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