A local plan for a global city in a changing climate. Here's what New York could be.

Dealing will climate change will demand our best creative capacities. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy the vulnerabilities of New York City have become all to apparent. Clearly a response is required.

A recent post on Atlantic Cities by Roy Strickland gives a great example of what such creative responses to a changing planet on the local level can look like. As he describes it:

Following Hurricane Irene, a team of young architects, landscape architects and urban planners from the University of Michigan's Master of Urban Design Program, where I teach, gathered to develop an innovative concept to keep Manhattan safe from climate change.

The concept took the long view – 25 to 100 years out – and emerged from a set of assumptions. These included decreases in regional climate stability; global decreases in the availability and affordability of oil; increases in Manhattan's population; and increasing emphasis on health, education, research, technology and tourism in the city's economy.

Check out the designs. They are fascinating.

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