Vulnerability Assessment

Download report (PDF)   |   Urban heat islands   |   Flooding and precipitation   |   Key CAP actions

In December 2017 the Town completed a climate vulnerability assessment that addresses expected impacts from flooding, drought, and extreme heat. The report considers impacts to vulnerable populations, public health, natural resources, the built environment including public and private infrastructure and utilities, and the local economy. Action items include a process for ensuring that implementation is monitored, as well as strategies to address the vulnerabilities identified.

The Commonwealth's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs awarded the Town the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness designation in 2018, making the Town eligible for state funding to implement key actions.

• The year-long project was conducted by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) with funding from MAPC’s Planning for MetroFuture Technical Assistance program, the Barr Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Community Compact program. MAPC Senior Planner Anne Herbst researched and prepared the report.
• This report incorporates analysis of urban heat islands in Brookline provided by the Sustainability and Data Sciences Lab (SDS) of Northeastern University led by Dr. Auroop Ganguly, which was made possible through a partnership with the American Geophysical Union Thriving Earth Exchange Program.
• The Project Steering Committee represented a wide range of Town departments, members of the Select Board's Climate Action Committee, and the citizen group Climate Action Brookline.