Robert Freudenberg is vice president of RPA's energy and environmental programs, leading the organization's initiatives in areas including climate mitigation and adaptation, open space conservation and park development, and water resource management. Rob has been with RPA since 2006 and prior to his current role, served as New Jersey director, where he managed the state program with a focus on sustainability planning and policy. Prior to joining RPA, Rob served as a coastal management fellow at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he focused on coastal land use policies for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Rob holds a master's of public administration in environmental science and policy from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and a bachelor's in environmental biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Speaking at
Tue Apr 09
2:30 PM — 3:30 PM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time
New York Hilton Midtown - Level 2, Gramercy Suite
NYC 2100: Resiliency, Housing, and Equity for the Metropolitan Region with Six Feet of Sea-Level Rise
The New York metropolitan area has 20 million residents and within the next century could see six feet of sea-level rise due to climate change. The city itself has 500 miles of coastline and faces significant challenges for long-term coastal protections, including for vulnerable and marginalized populations. While new housing opportunities are needed to create equitable, resilient development in sustainable mixed-use neighborhoods proximate to mass transit, the region also has an existing housing affordability problem that will be further stressed by climate migration and population growth over time.
This panel focuses on analysis, policy response, and insight into the various challenges and opportunities for evolving the metropolitan area for future housing demand. Expertise in climate modeling, public policy, urban design, and long-term planning will be needed to create more equitable and resilient neighborhoods. Panelists will discuss how climate change will dramatically impact urban design and land use and will identify key policy considerations coupled with tactical solutions for metropolitan areas to promote future-proof planning, climate justice, and resilient design.