RPA is taking part in a number of Climate Week events this year! More will be added to our website as they are announced — stay tuned for additions.

In a region highly vulnerable to climate change and facing land constraints, recent climate adaptation projects are increasingly embracing innovative design. This new wave of climate adaptation co-locates recreation with resilience, creating ​“active assets”—spaces that not only safeguard against climate hazards but also provide recreational space, increase connectivity, support local ecosystems, and leverage public access to promote long-term environmental stewardship.

This panel brings together designers from several recently developed, planned, and proposed adaptation projects to discuss their work in shaping resilient communities through a multi-benefit approach. Rather than treating flood mitigation and public access as separate priorities, these modern projects demonstrate that they are deeply synergistic. By layering ecological, functional, and social benefits, we can design a future where both humans and changing ecosystems thrive together.

Panelists:

• Zoe Baldwin, VP of State Programs, RPA
• Pippa Brashear, Resilience Principal & Partner, Scape Studio
• Christine Garner, Urban Design Associate & Richard Kaplan Fellow, RPA
• Peter Mullan, President & CEO, Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail
• Sanjukta Sen, Landscape and Architectural Designer, Field Operations

Re-envisioning the right of way: from the road, to the curb, to the sidewalk. How can we rearrange our streets to encourage walking, biking, and transit ridership? How can we use public realm features for stormwater management and other resiliency interventions? How can we ensure congestion and curb pricing don’t just speed up traffic or make it easier to park but instead give us the space to create efficient, safe, resilient, and social streets?

Panelists

• Rachel Weinberger, Vice President of Transportation, RPA (moderator)
• Rob Freudenberg, Vice President of Energy & Environment, RPA
• Liya Rechtman, Policy Director for Transportation & Infrastructure, Office of the NYC Comptroller
• Emily Weidenhof, Assistant Commissioner for Public Realm, NYCDOT
• Spencer Williams, Director of Land Use & Topography, Brooklyn Borough President

RPA, Enterprise Community Partners and NYC HPD explore how policy, planning and partnerships can turn climate-resilience goals into local impact to protect affordable homes, accelerate recovery and strengthen communities.

Panelists

• Jee Mee Kim-Diaz, Americas East Geography Leader, Arup (moderator)
• Maulin Mehta, New York Director, RPA
• Elizabeth Zeldin, Director, Neighborhood Impact, Enterprise Community Partners

Taming Traffic: How Congestion Pricing Became a Breath of Fresh Air for New York

📅 Monday, September 21
📍 NRDC Headquarters, New York, NY

Join RPA’s Kate Slevin for a conversation on how New York finally pulled off this transformative policy, the results we’ve seen so far, and what lies ahead for other major U.S. cities that want to explore similar policies.

The Urban Systems Symposium

📅 Tuesday, September 22
📍 NYU, New York, NY

RPA’s Marcel Negret will be taking part on NYU’s Urban Systems Symposium as part of Climate Week

Housing Is a Climate Issue

📅 Tuesday, September 22
📍 Fordham University Quinn Library, New York, NY

RPA’s Kate Slevin will join panelists to explore how smart housing policy can help reduce emissions while creating healthier, more affordable communities.

Adopting the Mega-Events Playbook for Adaptation Infrastructure

📅 Wednesday, September 23
📍 Empire State Building, New York, NY

RPA’s Zoe Baldwin is joining STV for a conversation on climate adaptation lessons from accelerated infrastructure initiatives.

Will Autonomous Vehicles Improve the Environment? A Skeptical Conversation: Climate Week NYC

📅 Wednesday, September 23
📍 15 W 39th St 10th Floor, New York, NY

This Climate Week NYC event, featuring RPA’s Rachel Weinberger, will take a clear-eyed look at the environmental case for autonomous vehicles and examine where the evidence supports the hype, and where it does not.

Preparing for Emerging Mobility: Autonomous Vehicles and Mobility Horizons

📅 Thursday, September 24
📍NYU Wagner, New York, NY

RPA’s Rachel Weinberger will be speaking about the future of autonomous vehicles and mobility.