Overview

Like many of the world's iconic coastal cities, Boston faces potentially severe impacts from climate change. Depending on global emissions, Boston could face several feet of sea level rise this century, which would leave many parts of the city subject to tidal and storm flooding. Precipitation events could become more frequent and extreme, and its already-humid summers could become dangerously hot, with most days over 90 degrees. Today, Boston is a booming city with a growing population, a glittering new waterfront neighborhood, world-class universities and a strong economy. Its future risks and opportunities related to climate change are shaped by the 400-year environmental, social and economic history of the city's development. As part of Anthem's series, Climate Change and the Future of Boston describes how Boston's history and current context shape future climate impacts and examines the mitigation and adaptation strategies the city has taken. Boston is a leader in acknowledging the problem of climate change; it has set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, among other climate-related goals. It has also developed science-based climate models and undertaken a robust planning process to identify strategies to protect its waterfront from flooding and increase its resilience to other climate-related impacts. Its mayor has embraced a progressive Green New Deal for Boston emphasizing the need for an inclusive and equitable approach to climate mitigation and adaptation. But the city also faces structural challenges, such as aging infrastructure, historic racial inequities, rising gentrification and income inequality and ongoing political and regulatory obstacles that hinder efforts to adapt in an efficient and just manner. The book concludes with a set of forward-looking scenarios about what the future may have in store for the city and the lessons it holds for other coastal cities struggling with these challenges.

Full Product Details

Author:   Courtney Humphries
Publisher:   Anthem Press
Imprint:   Anthem Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.30cm , Height: 2.60cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9781839980305

ISBN 10:   1839980303
Pages:   250
Publication Date:   17 March 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available, will be POD  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon it's release. This is a print on demand item which is still yet to be released.

Table of Contents

"ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; I. INTRODUCTION ; II. BACKGROUND: BOSTON’S RISKS IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT; Turning Mashauwomuk into Boston; Making and Remaking a Port City; Progressive Visions, Social Divisions; A Piece of a Metropolitan Puzzle; Boston’s Adaptive Capacity Today; III. GOVERNING CLIMATE ACTION IN BOSTON; From a ""Climate Mechanic"" to a Green New Deal; Climate in City Government; Governance beyond Government: a Negotiated Path; The Regional Picture; III. BOSTON’S FUTURE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE; The Risks: What Climate Science Says; Opportunities and Challenges: Mitigation; Opportunities and Challenges: Adaptation; Opportunities and Challenges: Equity; IV. CONCLUSION: LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE; Innovating Connections with Water; Planning for Flexibility and Reinvention; Seeking a More Equitable Future; Finding a Metropolitan Balance"

Reviews

Author Information

Courtney Humphries, PhD, is an interdisciplinary scholar, teacher, and award-winning journalist writing about science and the urban environment.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions