Kyler Geoffroy | Island Press (original) (raw)

Papers by Kyler Geoffroy

In an era rocked by climate change and other large-scale disruptions, our cities must be resilien... more In an era rocked by climate change and other large-scale disruptions, our cities must be resilient in order to survive and thrive. But what does that mean, exactly? What is known about urban resilience, and what remains to be explored? And how can we put thinking into practice to create the resilient cities of the future?

To help answer those questions, Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project in 2013, with support from The Kresge Foundation. We began with a survey of the existing literature on resilience and reached out to a diverse group of organizers, researchers, planners, and other urban change agents. In a series of interviews and an all-day assembly, we listened deeply to what they had to say. This report endeavors to capture what we learned.

Books by Kyler Geoffroy

Resilience Matters, 2023

It’s not a stretch to say that we live in an age of extremes. 2023 was – by far – the hottest yea... more It’s not a stretch to say that we live in an age of extremes. 2023 was – by far – the hottest year since humans have been keeping records; scientists say it was the hottest in 100,000 years. We have entered what UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calls “the era of global boiling.” Our politics are boiling, as well. Extremist ideologies are on the rise, and American democracy faces nearly unprecedented threats. Governing bodies are paralyzed as Americans sort themselves into not just different political parties, but separate realities.

And yet, in this dire and polarized moment, so many people are rising to the great environmental and moral challenges of our time. In 2023, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) captured this hopeful, life-affirming work though a series of articles, op-eds, and interviews that have now been collected in a free e-book — Resilience Matters: Flourishing in an Era of Extremes.

Resilience Matters, 2023

For those who care about sustainability and equity, 2022 brought plenty of good news. Through the... more For those who care about sustainability and equity, 2022 brought plenty of good news. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, American Rescue Plan, and the Biden Administration's Justice40 initiative, money is—finally—flowing to climate change mitigation and resilience in hard-hit communities.

But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Now that more funding is available, it’s important to make sure it is spent wisely and goes where it’s needed most. In 2022, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) dug into the details, devising concrete plans for collective action to build a greener, fairer future. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews—have now been collected in the latest edition of our e-book series Resilience Matters, available online at no cost.

Resilience Matters, 2021

American democracy survived an unprecedented assault on January 6, but the nation is more bitterl... more American democracy survived an unprecedented assault on January 6, but the nation is more bitterly polarized than ever. Lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time, but a substantial swath of the American public refused to get the jab. The Biden administration swept into office on promises to tackle climate change and “build back better,” but progress was thwarted by key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

In this hopeful and frustrating year, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project celebrated our collective progress, while highlighting how far we have yet to go. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews in outlets like U.S. News & World Report, Next City, The Hill, and Earth Island Journal—have now been collected in a new e-book Resilience Matters: Opportunities for Action to Strengthen Communities, available online at no cost.

Written by thought leaders like former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) co-chair Richard Moore, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice executive director Peggy Shepard, Resilience Matters address the economic, environmental and social dimensions of resilience.

The articles and op-eds in this e-book connect the dots between COVID-19, climate change, and inequality. By making these connections, contributors draw back the curtain on exploitative systems that threaten both people and the planet. But while the problems are connected, the solutions are, too. From calling for a new Hippocratic Oath in the era of climate change to highlighting the importance of funding environmental justice nonprofits, these articles and op-eds illuminate the path forward in a year of change.

Resilience Matters, 2020

It was a year like no other: 2020 brought a deadly pandemic, crippling recession, protests agains... more It was a year like no other: 2020 brought a deadly pandemic, crippling recession, protests against racial injustice, and bitter political division—all against a backdrop of unprecedented climate change impacts. At the same time, we saw the skies clear over cities that are usually shrouded in pollution, along with a record-breaking (if temporary) drop in carbon emissions. We saw a long-overdue reckoning with systemic racism, including its ghastly toll in human life and its grotesque distortion of democracy.

However disturbing the reasons, 2020 was a year that ruptured expectations and forced us to step outside the rhythms of daily life. From this unfamiliar vantage point, we could imagine a different future, and at the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP), we did just that. Through the creation of original articles and op-eds, we exposed what is unsustainable and unjust and offered alternative visions.

Our stories and solutions have now been collected in this free e-book, Resilience Matters: Reimagining the Future in a Tumultuous Year.

Resilience Matters, 2018

In the years since Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, the need for information o... more In the years since Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, the need for information on how to build resilient, equitable cities has only become more urgent. The latest UN climate reports show that we have precious little time to avert the worst impacts of climate change, even as our communities must adapt to rising seas, monster storms, devastating wildfires, and more.

Island Press and its diverse community of authors have much to contribute to this effort. Our work takes on the defining challenges of our time: climate resilience and social equity. Through articles, op-eds, and other writing, we spotlight solutions and tell the stories of people on the front lines of the climate crisis. A selection of those stories and solutions from the year 2018 have now been collected in this e-book, Resilience Matters: Strengthening Communities in an Era of Upheaval.

These are trying times for those who care about equity, sustainability, and climate change—the is... more These are trying times for those who care about equity, sustainability, and climate change—the issues that will shape our common future. In 2017, the United States confronted the costliest year on record for weather disasters, as deadly wildfires and devastating hurricanes wreaked havoc against the backdrop of a presidential administration that denies the reality of climate change.

And yet, even in these trying times, there are extraordinary people working to create a greener, fairer world. Over the past year, the Island Press Urban Resilience Project has collaborated with a diverse group of activists, academics, and practitioners to share ideas of how to better prepare for an uncertain tomorrow. Those ideas—originally published as op-eds, articles, and other short-form writing—have now been collected in a new e-book Resilience Matters: Transformative Thinking in a Year of Crisis, available online at no cost.

The articles collected in the e-book address the economic, ecological and social dimensions of resilience. They report on a variety of threats, from the vulnerability of our infrastructure to political efforts to undermine the public’s right to clean, affordable drinking water. Importantly, they showcase solutions that are sustainable and equitable. From community groups that are growing local economies while reducing carbon emissions, to red-state cities that are taking the lead on climate action in the absence of federal leadership, these stories illuminate the path forward in tumultuous times.

In an era rocked by environmental, economic, and political upheaval, our cities and communities m... more In an era rocked by environmental, economic, and political upheaval, our cities and communities must be resilient in order to survive. But what does resilience mean, exactly? And how can we address the problems facing America today — poverty, job loss, crumbling infrastructure, pollution — while preparing for an uncertain tomorrow?

Over the past year, the Island Press Urban Resilience Project has brought together some of the country’s leading resilience thinkers to produce a wide-ranging series of articles that sought to answer these challenging questions. A compilation of this work is now available in the e-book Resilience Matters 2016: Sustainable, Equitable Solutions.

In an era rocked by climate change and other disruptions, our cities must be resilient to survive... more In an era rocked by climate change and other disruptions, our cities
must be resilient to survive and thrive. But what does that mean, exactly?
How can we address the problems facing cities today—poverty, job loss,
crumbling infrastructure, pollution—while preparing for an uncertain
tomorrow? To help answer those questions, Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, with support from The Kresge Foundation and The JPB Foundation. We began by reaching out to a diverse group of thinkers— activists, academics, architects and many others. And we asked them to help envision the sustainable, equitable, resilient cities of the future. In 2015, those thinkers produced a wide-ranging series of articles, blogs and op-eds, which are collected in this volume.

In an era rocked by climate change and other large-scale disruptions, our cities must be resilien... more In an era rocked by climate change and other large-scale disruptions, our cities must be resilient in order to survive and thrive. But what does that mean, exactly? What is known about urban resilience, and what remains to be explored? And how can we put thinking into practice to create the resilient cities of the future?

To help answer those questions, Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project in 2013, with support from The Kresge Foundation. We began with a survey of the existing literature on resilience and reached out to a diverse group of organizers, researchers, planners, and other urban change agents. In a series of interviews and an all-day assembly, we listened deeply to what they had to say. This report endeavors to capture what we learned.

Resilience Matters, 2023

It’s not a stretch to say that we live in an age of extremes. 2023 was – by far – the hottest yea... more It’s not a stretch to say that we live in an age of extremes. 2023 was – by far – the hottest year since humans have been keeping records; scientists say it was the hottest in 100,000 years. We have entered what UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calls “the era of global boiling.” Our politics are boiling, as well. Extremist ideologies are on the rise, and American democracy faces nearly unprecedented threats. Governing bodies are paralyzed as Americans sort themselves into not just different political parties, but separate realities.

And yet, in this dire and polarized moment, so many people are rising to the great environmental and moral challenges of our time. In 2023, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) captured this hopeful, life-affirming work though a series of articles, op-eds, and interviews that have now been collected in a free e-book — Resilience Matters: Flourishing in an Era of Extremes.

Resilience Matters, 2023

For those who care about sustainability and equity, 2022 brought plenty of good news. Through the... more For those who care about sustainability and equity, 2022 brought plenty of good news. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, American Rescue Plan, and the Biden Administration's Justice40 initiative, money is—finally—flowing to climate change mitigation and resilience in hard-hit communities.

But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Now that more funding is available, it’s important to make sure it is spent wisely and goes where it’s needed most. In 2022, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) dug into the details, devising concrete plans for collective action to build a greener, fairer future. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews—have now been collected in the latest edition of our e-book series Resilience Matters, available online at no cost.

Resilience Matters, 2021

American democracy survived an unprecedented assault on January 6, but the nation is more bitterl... more American democracy survived an unprecedented assault on January 6, but the nation is more bitterly polarized than ever. Lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time, but a substantial swath of the American public refused to get the jab. The Biden administration swept into office on promises to tackle climate change and “build back better,” but progress was thwarted by key lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

In this hopeful and frustrating year, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project celebrated our collective progress, while highlighting how far we have yet to go. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews in outlets like U.S. News & World Report, Next City, The Hill, and Earth Island Journal—have now been collected in a new e-book Resilience Matters: Opportunities for Action to Strengthen Communities, available online at no cost.

Written by thought leaders like former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) co-chair Richard Moore, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice executive director Peggy Shepard, Resilience Matters address the economic, environmental and social dimensions of resilience.

The articles and op-eds in this e-book connect the dots between COVID-19, climate change, and inequality. By making these connections, contributors draw back the curtain on exploitative systems that threaten both people and the planet. But while the problems are connected, the solutions are, too. From calling for a new Hippocratic Oath in the era of climate change to highlighting the importance of funding environmental justice nonprofits, these articles and op-eds illuminate the path forward in a year of change.

Resilience Matters, 2020

It was a year like no other: 2020 brought a deadly pandemic, crippling recession, protests agains... more It was a year like no other: 2020 brought a deadly pandemic, crippling recession, protests against racial injustice, and bitter political division—all against a backdrop of unprecedented climate change impacts. At the same time, we saw the skies clear over cities that are usually shrouded in pollution, along with a record-breaking (if temporary) drop in carbon emissions. We saw a long-overdue reckoning with systemic racism, including its ghastly toll in human life and its grotesque distortion of democracy.

However disturbing the reasons, 2020 was a year that ruptured expectations and forced us to step outside the rhythms of daily life. From this unfamiliar vantage point, we could imagine a different future, and at the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP), we did just that. Through the creation of original articles and op-eds, we exposed what is unsustainable and unjust and offered alternative visions.

Our stories and solutions have now been collected in this free e-book, Resilience Matters: Reimagining the Future in a Tumultuous Year.

Resilience Matters, 2018

In the years since Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, the need for information o... more In the years since Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, the need for information on how to build resilient, equitable cities has only become more urgent. The latest UN climate reports show that we have precious little time to avert the worst impacts of climate change, even as our communities must adapt to rising seas, monster storms, devastating wildfires, and more.

Island Press and its diverse community of authors have much to contribute to this effort. Our work takes on the defining challenges of our time: climate resilience and social equity. Through articles, op-eds, and other writing, we spotlight solutions and tell the stories of people on the front lines of the climate crisis. A selection of those stories and solutions from the year 2018 have now been collected in this e-book, Resilience Matters: Strengthening Communities in an Era of Upheaval.

These are trying times for those who care about equity, sustainability, and climate change—the is... more These are trying times for those who care about equity, sustainability, and climate change—the issues that will shape our common future. In 2017, the United States confronted the costliest year on record for weather disasters, as deadly wildfires and devastating hurricanes wreaked havoc against the backdrop of a presidential administration that denies the reality of climate change.

And yet, even in these trying times, there are extraordinary people working to create a greener, fairer world. Over the past year, the Island Press Urban Resilience Project has collaborated with a diverse group of activists, academics, and practitioners to share ideas of how to better prepare for an uncertain tomorrow. Those ideas—originally published as op-eds, articles, and other short-form writing—have now been collected in a new e-book Resilience Matters: Transformative Thinking in a Year of Crisis, available online at no cost.

The articles collected in the e-book address the economic, ecological and social dimensions of resilience. They report on a variety of threats, from the vulnerability of our infrastructure to political efforts to undermine the public’s right to clean, affordable drinking water. Importantly, they showcase solutions that are sustainable and equitable. From community groups that are growing local economies while reducing carbon emissions, to red-state cities that are taking the lead on climate action in the absence of federal leadership, these stories illuminate the path forward in tumultuous times.

In an era rocked by environmental, economic, and political upheaval, our cities and communities m... more In an era rocked by environmental, economic, and political upheaval, our cities and communities must be resilient in order to survive. But what does resilience mean, exactly? And how can we address the problems facing America today — poverty, job loss, crumbling infrastructure, pollution — while preparing for an uncertain tomorrow?

Over the past year, the Island Press Urban Resilience Project has brought together some of the country’s leading resilience thinkers to produce a wide-ranging series of articles that sought to answer these challenging questions. A compilation of this work is now available in the e-book Resilience Matters 2016: Sustainable, Equitable Solutions.

In an era rocked by climate change and other disruptions, our cities must be resilient to survive... more In an era rocked by climate change and other disruptions, our cities
must be resilient to survive and thrive. But what does that mean, exactly?
How can we address the problems facing cities today—poverty, job loss,
crumbling infrastructure, pollution—while preparing for an uncertain
tomorrow? To help answer those questions, Island Press launched the Urban Resilience Project, with support from The Kresge Foundation and The JPB Foundation. We began by reaching out to a diverse group of thinkers— activists, academics, architects and many others. And we asked them to help envision the sustainable, equitable, resilient cities of the future. In 2015, those thinkers produced a wide-ranging series of articles, blogs and op-eds, which are collected in this volume.