SAN DIEGO — A new national report shows how effective use of climate risk data can help communities be more proactive and resilient when confronting the multiple risks of climate change.
A cloudy day in Mission Beach puts Skyler McManus on high alert. Water stains on the ceiling show how hard this storm season has been.
“I think it was raining inside the shop more than outside,” McManus said.
Hamel’s is an iconic business in Mission Beach, just steps away from the ocean. McManus has worked on this street for more than 20 years. He captured video in January of the sea wall failing to hold back waves.
“The sea coming up, hitting the wall, shooting 15 feet up in the air and crashing down and water flowing across my doorways down to Mission Boulevard.”
“I’ve seen just about everything when it comes to Mission Beach and its storm activity,” McManus said.
Daniel Enemark is the chief economist at the San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center. They teamed up with the national think tank Brookings Metro to analyze San Diego’s growing climate-related issues.
They found that Mission Beach is one neighborhood most at risk for flooding, facing a climate change double whammy.
“It’s the sea level rise that’s kind of most dramatic and that’s most on everyone’s minds; but as we saw last month, those atmospheric rivers are also gaining in intensity,” Enemark said.
The report says flood risk in San Diego is both in specific areas and throughout the county; about half of San Diego neighborhoods face wildfire risk; and heat is the most widespread risk in San Diego.
According to the City of San Diego, San Diego is already experiencing more frequent and intense heatwaves, increased wildfire risks, coastal flooding and more unpredictable and intense rain events, which impacts the local economy, infrastructure and natural environment. They will use the report to make better choices, like guiding infrastructure decisions, funding and development.
“San Diego is a great place to live, work and play. But as the climate crisis deepens, we face increasing threats from extreme heat, wildfires and sea-level rise,” City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. “We know those risks are not evenly distributed across our region, so we need data to guide investments in measures to protect residents, our infrastructure and our quality of life. I appreciate the opportunity to partner with Brookings and the San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center on emerging data sources and tools to deploy our resources as effectively as possible.”
“Part of city planning and planning for the region is figuring out where do we want to build and also where do we want to build less,” Enemark said. “And so we want to build more of our structures, our businesses and our homes in places that are less subject to these climate risks.”
“The City of San Diego is better prepared than most communities to take on the multiple challenges of climate change. This new study provides critical insights that local leaders need to make informed policy decisions and improve resilience going forward,” said Jenny Schuetz, senior fellow with Brookings Metro and an expert in housing and urban economics.
For now, McManus is prepared to leap into action in case of more flooding. He has a cache of sandbags at the ready.
“One thing about Mother Nature is it’s always changing, so the best you can do is adapt to it,” he said. “Make sure that you’re prepared for whatever might come.”
The report also found that a small handful of neighborhoods have concentrated clusters of high-flood-risk areas; these are likely to be the best targets for intervention. They also found that heat risk is going to be increasing dramatically with climate change, and not just in poorer economic neighborhoods, but across the board.