Why Community is Critical for Newburyport’s Climate Resilience

The Greater Newburyport community is invited to a Storm Surge Speaker Series event featuring Prof. Daniel Aldrich, an expert on resilience and disaster recovery, at the Newburyport Senior/Community Center at 7 pm on Thursday, September 5th. Register at https://storm-surge.org. The program will also be broadcast live on local cable access NCM-HUB channel 8. Event Focus: Newburyport and other North Shore communities face increasing risks from climate change, including higher sea levels, stronger storms, and severe precipitation events. Health risks from heat waves, storm damage, severe winds, and higher food and energy costs are also rising. The need for community resilience has never been more urgent. Prof. Daniel Aldrich’s talk will explore how Newburyport can enhance its resilience by leveraging social infrastructure. His research shows that while physical infrastructure like seawalls is important, social infrastructure—libraries, parks, and communal spaces—plays a crucial role in mitigating disaster impacts. Aldrich supports local initiatives and international interventions to deepen social capital, enhancing community resilience. Drawing from his extensive research and personal experience, including his family's encounter with Hurricane Katrina, Aldrich emphasizes the critical role of social capital in post-disaster recovery. Community ties, trust, and a sense of belonging are more vital for recovery than wealth or physical infrastructure. Aldrich will provide insights into how communities with strong social connections can better withstand and recover from disasters. His research highlights examples from Kobe, Japan; Tamil Nadu, India; and New Orleans, Louisiana, demonstrating the measurable impact of social capital on resilience. This talk is a valuable opportunity for anyone interested in climate action, disaster recovery, and community building. Aldrich's insights will inspire and equip attendees to foster resilience in their community. Given the specific risks Newburyport faces from climate change, this event is crucial for understanding how to build a more resilient future. About Daniel Aldrich: Daniel Aldrich is an award-winning author and prominent voice in resilience and disaster recovery. He has published five books, including "Building Resilience" and "Black Wave," and over 100 peer-reviewed articles. His op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, CNN, HuffPost, and more. Aldrich’s fieldwork spans regions like India, Japan, and Africa, funded by organizations such as the Fulbright Foundation and the National Science Foundation. He is a professor at Northeastern University, where he received the 2024 Outstanding Teaching Award. About Storm Surge Storm Surge is a non-profit community organization based in Newburyport, MA. The group was founded in 2013 as the threat to our coastline from sea-level rise was starting to become a recurring problem to our community. To address the coastal issues of climate change, we promote science-based outreach and education to encourage local municipalities to prepare for the impacts of sea level rise and other climate change impacts.