City Profiles Seattle, WA, USA Climate Resilient Cities 47809 A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Disasters I/ CIty DesCrIptIon King County and its largest city, Seattle, Washington, along with the Emergency Pre- paredness Bureau, have been deemed major contributors to the discourse on climate change impacts and cities. King County is using 2050 as its target year to develop mitigation and adaptation plans. Importantly, it has set up working relationships with the Climate Impacts Group (CIG), a part of the Center for Science in the Earth System at the University of Wash- ington's Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean. The County's leadership understands that action now on climate change impacts is really establish- ing and exercising good local government resource management practices to create and sustain resilient communities. King County is implementing "no-regrets" policies to deal with potential climate change impacts. No-regrets policies are those that would make good sense to imple- ment whether or not 2050 turns out to be as predicted. The strategies, plans, and activities are just good urban management. King County and King County's vision for reducing global warming includes large-scale positive out- comes as well as localized benefits, like healthier air to breathe, walkable communi- its largest city, Seattle, ties, and more efficient energy consumption. Its new urban paradigm features a more concentrated, walkable development and active transportation infrastructure, such as Washington, along bike paths. King County's vision includes locally based food supplies and sources, new green-movement jobs that support and promote clean energy, and energy-efficient with the Emergency products and appliances, construction, and water conservation.1 Preparedness Bureau, Population King County has a population of 1.835 million people, and Seattle has 578,700 have been deemed major (2006 data). Ranked the 14th most populous U.S. county, King County's popu- lation has grown by 22 percent since 1990, which reverses the downward trend contributors to the of the 1990s when Seattle's population declined to 516,259. King County is ex- pected to grow by 12 percent (214,000 persons) to 2.049 million by 2022. Pro- discourse on climate jected growth figures have been useful measures for planning through the State's Growth Management Act. The King County population is 73 percent (non- change impacts and cities. Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery City Profiles Hispanic) white, 11 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, villages. King County promotes "walkable" communi- 5 percent African-American, 1 percent Native American, ties. These programs seek to reverse sprawling devel- and 5.5 percent Latino.2 opment and create a more concentrated urban growth pattern. The shift in planning precepts makes better use of limited areas for urban development and creates and protects natural reserve areas. The negotiated boundar- Action now on climate change impacts ies between nature reserve and urban growth areas have dramatically changed the settlement patterns of King is really establishing and exercising good County and the state of Washington. local government resource management Historically, Seattle developed on landfill and graded ter- rain. Seattle's complex topography increases its vulner- practices to create and sustain resilient ability to landslides, earthquakes, and floods. Its graded terrain can isolate communities in times of emergency. communities. Seattle's development started in the 1890s, and over half of its housing was built prior to the adoption of building codes and seismic standards in 1949. Hospitals are con- Location centrated in an area called First Hill; the downtown is King County is located on Puget Sound in Washington a concentration of commerce, tourism, and government State and covers an area of 2,134 square miles. King services known as the County Seat. Within the city limits, County is twice as large as the average county in the only six bridges connect north Seattle with the rest of the United States. The geology that created King County city, three bridges connect West Seattle to the surround- and its attractive setting is also responsible for its vulner- ing city, and two bridges cross Lake Washington. Each abilities. Glaciers created a landscape of lakes and hills of these bridges creates a bottleneck and, in a disaster, a running north to south, making east to west movement serious hazard. The city's infrastructure is highly vulner- difficult. The county dealt with this problem by con- able, located on landslide-prone hillsides and liquefac- structing bridges and tunnels. tion zones.4 Seattle is the largest urban center in King County and Economic Base the major marine port of the Puget Sound Region. Its The economy of King County and Seattle has recov- 193 miles of waterfront include 53 miles of tidal waters. ered from several economic setbacks following the Feb- Seattle is built on the strip of land between Lake Wash- ruary 2001 earthquake. When Boeing (which remains ington and Puget Sound. Elliott Bay confines the con- one of several major employers in the area) moved its gested central business district of the city to a narrow and headquarters to Chicago, 26,000 jobs were lost. Despite vulnerable area. the dot-com bust and the region's worst recession in 30 years, manufacturing industries, especially Microsoft and The Built Environment other computer and electronics firms, are slowly gaining In 1990 the State of Washington, concerned about ur- back ground, though they have yet to reach their 2001 ban sprawl, passed the Growth Management Act. Urban levels. Educational and health services have registered sprawl had increased the region's vulnerability to climate growth, but commerce in general and professional ser- change impacts. In response to the Growth Management vices struggles. Act, Seattle developed its Comprehensive Plan, "Toward a Sustainable Seattle." The Comprehensive Plan sets Employment distribution by sector across King, Kitsap, targets for urban growth and promotes greater density Pierce, and Snohomish counties include the following through such strategies as the development of urban sectors:5 2 Seattle, WA, USA n Services (30.4 percent); Seattle has developed a mitigation program that features n Wholesale/Retail (23.7 percent); structural and nonstructural initiatives as well as outreach n Government (15.2 percent); and training at the community and individual level.6 n Manufacturing (13.1 percent); n Construction (6.0 percent); The 2007 King County Climate Plan presents the au- n Transportation/Public Facilities (5.8 percent); and thorities under which it operates as a starting point for n Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (5.7 percent). effective plan development and implementation. The authorities include: Governance Structure The King County Executive Officer is elected to office n Implementing a role in regional land use and and leads the County government. The Metropolitan transportation planning and growth management King County Council is the elected legislative body of that encourages communities to become more the County government. The Seattle Mayor is also an walkable and offers an urban development model elected official. with homes and services in mixed-use configura- tions within walking distances of services encour- King County provides regional services within its juris- aging people to drive less; dictions. The County's responsibilities and services relate n Calling on the region's largest transit fleet, several to public transportation and sewage disposal as well as major wastewater treatment plants, and numer- courts and legal services, public health services, the coun- ous buildings and facilities to create opportunities ty jail, records and elections, property tax appraisals, the to reduce operational GHG emissions, produce King County International Airport, and other regional clean energy from waste gases, and develop a new facilities and parks. civic ethic regarding the environment; n Offering public transit services promoting travel Seattle has jurisdiction over emergency management for options to carpool and travel on public transit the City. The Emergency Management Section (EMS) with free passes for public employees to reduce is part of the Emergency Preparedness Bureau of the GHG emissions from personal vehicle travel; Seattle Police Department. The EMS has developed a n Advocating for and shaping future federal legisla- knowledge base and mitigation and adaptation plans for tion on mandatory nationwide reduction of GHG the City. The principal documents that deal with mitiga- emissions; and tion of disasters and adaptation to changing conditions n Applying its management prerogatives as the are the Seattle All-Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Haz- manager of a major bus transit agency, a sizable ard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis that reflect passenger vehicle fleet, and numerous buildings State Emergency Management Office policies and King and facilities to stimulate markets through its County activities. example and purchase of clean energy fuels, in- novative transport technologies, waste-to-energy innovations, and green building products. Following the February 2001 II/ prIorIty HazarDs anD earthquake, Boeing moved its VulnerabIlItIes headquarters to Chicago and, with it, According to the King County Climate Plan, scientists at the University of Washington predict that local tempera- 26,000 jobs. tures will rise another 1.9°F by the 2020s and 2.9°F by the 2040s. For King County, this means that snowfall will 3 City Profiles decrease and rain will increase, affecting the timing and n Precipitation. Increases in the amount of pre- volume of the snowpack and the spring melt. In some cipitation and changes in the type of precipita- areas, the snowpack will decline by as much as 60 per- tion from snow to rain and or a mixture of both cent and water from melted snow will flow earlier and are possible in the Pacific Northwest, causing more rapidly into valleys and floodplains. This will affect potential water supply issues and drought when water supply and the capacity of the installed infrastruc- demand may become the highest; ture to manage the flows to ensure year-round availabil- n Extreme weather. Climate change effects on ity; it will also have implications for flooding if the flows extreme weather still reflect higher levels of un- are not managed. The floods in November 2007 cost certainty, but potentially there could be conditions US$34 million in damages. King County will need to giving storms more strength, leading to greater meet the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and wind storms; events. For Seattle, the priority hazards are earthquakes, n Sea-level rise. Relative sea-level rise is greatest landslides, and floods, with earthquakes being the most in South Puget Sound, which could experience a destructive. 3.3 foot rise by 2100 and increase the rate and extent of coastal flooding, shoreline erosion, and near-shore habitat loss. Sea-level rise can damage existing equipment and result in higher operating costs and greater capital investments to replace King County will need to meet the equipment and add capacity to existing systems; n Snowpack loss and glacier melt. Snowpack increasing frequency and intensity of and glaciers in the Pacific Northwest mountains will suffer further loss--the most pronounced ef- extreme events. For Seattle, the priority fect will be in the Cascade Mountains and the Snake River Valley. April snowpack could expe- hazards are earthquakes, landslides, and rience a 44 percent loss by the 2040s and a 58 percent loss by the 2060s; and floods, with earthquakes being the most n Streamflow. Higher winter and lower summer streamflows with warmer temperatures might destructive. lead to increased loss of moisture from soil, veg- etation, and water supply and storage. Climate Change Impacts Impacts per sectors are: Based on the work of the scientists, climate change im- pacts were identified, projected to the 2050 time horizon, n Public health and safety. The frequency, in- and presented in the 2007 King County Climate Change tensity, and type of natural hazards faced by the (KCCP) Plan and Seattle's Hazard Identification and Pacific Northwest will increase, including more Vulnerability Analysis. The projections became the basis intenseweather,flooding,landslides,drought,and for the eventual plans. The impacts identified in the 2007 forest fires. These hazards will exacerbate existing KCCP are as follows: threats and create new threats such as killer heat waves; respiratory ailments; pollen issues; diseases n Temperature. Average annual temperatures in spread through animals; waterborne diseases; and the Pacific Northwest are projected to increase adverse effects on the workforce, regional food 2°F by the 2020s and 3°F by the 2040s across all systems, and health; seasons, with the largest increases in the summer n Land use, buildings, and transportation. season; There is increased frequency of flood events; 4 Seattle, WA, USA impacts on dam operations and flood control sys- Vulnerable Populations tems;urban flooding on streams; and streambank While the number of higher-income households (over stability and erosion and silting. Flood duration US$100,000 annual income) increased, so did low- will increase, causing damage to infrastructure income households (under US$25,000). The 2000 census and economic loss; it will affect shoreline resourc- shows 142,500 people, or 8.4 percent of the population, es and infrastructure, parks, and recreational were below the poverty line. And this number has in- facilities; and will threaten historic and cultural creased, due to the recession, to 9.4 percent.8 Seattle has sites; a greater share of vulnerable populations than the rest of n Water supply, management, and quality. the County, and these groups are not evenly distributed Increased frequency of drought events, decline in across the City. Seattle's vulnerable populations include the region's water supply reservoirs, and a greater the elderly, poor, disabled, and linguistically isolated. demand for water in summer and fall are made more difficult by reduced snowpack and waste- Seattle's special needs show that:9 water operations. Flooding will tax existing in- frastructure seasonally and cause backups and n The number of elderly declined (13.5 percent) overflows, leading to heath problems associated from 78,402 in 1990 to 67,807 in 2000; with new infectious diseases and heat stroke; n The linguistically isolated increased by 39.24 per- n Forests. Natural buffer zones and carbon sinks cent from 21,503 in 1990 to 29,940 in 2000; will be impacted negatively by insects, fire, and n Individuals in poverty increased by 11.37 percent warmer temperatures; and from 57,526 in 1990 to 64,068 in 2000; n Economic impacts. Economic impacts will n Persons with disabilities in 2000 totaled 90,999; affect the insurance industry with consequences and for businesses, consumers, and industry. Agricul- n Those living in group quarters (shelters) increased ture may be affected by increased temperatures, by 28.72 percent from 12,260 in 1990 to 15,781 precipitation, and type of crop, pests, and avail- in 2000. ability of water.7 Vulnerable Assets Disaster History Development of the floodplains in King County has cre- The disaster history of King County and Seattle has ated an industrial zone southeast of Seattle. This zone has shaped many of today's vulnerabilities. Conversions of becomethesiteof hundredsof warehousesandlightman- building codes after the great fire of 1889 militated for ufacturing plants. King County has invested more than the exchange of wood for masonry construction, and un- US$7 billion in development in its floodplains and has reinforced construction in an unknown earthquake zone. suffered eight federal flood-disaster declarations since Seattle's growth patterns have created dependencies on 1990. It is not only the built environment that is threatened bridge links in the transportation system that knits the but the 65,000 jobs, including one-third of the County's City and County together and is only a reminder that aerospace industry's employment, that is vulnerable.10 the current strategy to use the best science available for planning and strategy decisions makes sense. Historical, Cultural, and Natural Heritage Sites Seattle has suffered 10 earthquakes of 4.9 magnitude Seattle's growth did not start until 1880. After the great and higher on the Richter scale. Seattle has also received fire of 1889, building codes changed to require brick eight Presidential Disaster Declarations between 1990 construction, introducing a new vulnerability to the and 2002 alone (seven for winter storms and one for the then-unrecognized risk of earthquakes. Seattle's early Nisqually earthquake). development filled pockets of the broken topography with neighborhoods. Starting with Pioneer Square and 5 City Profiles region was established--climate stabilization, or 80 per- cent reduction of GHG emissions below today's levels After the great fire of 1889, building by 2050. The County entered into commitments to deal with climate change and global warming that creates a codes changed to require brick record of intent and benchmarks for a roadmap to fol- low. The commitments include the following: construction, introducing a new n King County is the charter partner for the Center vulnerability to the then-unrecognized for Clean Air Policy of the Urban Leaders Initiative on Infrastructure, Land Use, and Climate Change. The Ini- risk of earthquakes. tiative looks at projected climate change impacts in 2050 and "backcasts" to identify the necessary the surrounding areas, older and vulnerable structures steps to reduce emissions and preempt vulner- were built throughout the city. Surveys have identified abilities and to influence federal policies on infra- an estimated 500 unreinforced masonry structures that structure and emergency preparedness; today need retrofitting. n The 2007 King County Climate Plan is the first re- sponse to the Executive orders on Global Warm- Historic urban areas, cultural artifacts, and natural heri- ing Preparedness of March 2006 and King County tage sites are already vulnerable assets of local govern- Council Motion 12362 of October 2006, which ments. With climate impacts intensifying, more heavy provide an overview of how King County seeks rains leading to floods, wind damage, and risk of fire in- to reduce GHG emissions and works to anticipate crease the risks to the cultural value and economic poten- (mitigate) and adapt to projected climate change tial of Seattle's heritage. Local governments are just now impacts, based on the best available science; coming to recognize the importance of their built and n A Climate Change Team was formed comprised of the cultural heritages and the need to be proactive in their ExecutiveOffice,Departmentof Developmentand care and maintenance. Actions to retrofit these vulner- Environmental Services, the Department of Execu- able structures, as well as bridges, levees, and other criti- tive Services, the Department of Natural Resources cal infrastructure, are a priority. The definition of urban and Parks, the Department of Public Health, and infrastructure takes on an expanded definition to include the Department of Transportation. Interestingly mitigation and adaptation capital investment structures. the Department of Emergency Management was not included in the Team because jurisdiction for emergency management falls to Seattle; III/ MItIgatIon Measures n Executive Order FES 9-3 AEP of 2001 directed departments to adopt green building practices This section presents initiatives by King County and and to form an internal Green Team responsible for Seattle governments to address climate change in a se- developing countywide green policies; quence that builds credibility and commitment to the n King County is a founding member of the Seattle cause of sustainability impacts. The first step in the Climate Partnership set up to implement the recom- process is to go public with the intent of making King mendations of Seattle's Green Ribbon Commis- County climate resilient. sion;11and n Seattle guides its citizens through example and Make Commitments direction with its building codes based on the King County started its efforts by making clear its intent Uniform Building Code set out by the International to deal with climate change impacts. A bold goal for the Conference of Building Officials. 6 Seattle, WA, USA Promote Learning King County has made a serious effort to understand climate change impacts and hazard management issues A bold goal for the region was established that could potentially affect its well-being. To that end, King County has entered into working agreements and --climate stabilization, or 80 percent arrangements with technical groups to understand the potential impacts that may affect the County and trans- reduction of GHG emissions below late those into actionable programs to mitigate and adapt to them. today's levels by 2050. Learning and a climate change knowledge base is key to knowing how to proceed and to setting priorities for ac- grate or have trouble adapting as well as an in- tion. To that end, working relationships have been estab- creased threat of fire and insect outbreaks; lished with the Climate Change Group of the University n Natural environment, especially fish and of Washington to be able to explain to its citizens and shellfish. Changes could occur in annual patterns policy makers what climate is and what it means to the of stream-flowthatwouldbedetrimentaltosalmon communities' safety and development. rearing, migration, and spawning; increased water temperatures may exceed tolerable limits for cold- The Climate Change Conference, organized by King waterfishpopulations;andfuturechangesincoastal County in October 2005, offered an opportunity to learn and marine habitat are possible. Increased water about projected climate change impacts. The learning stratification could decrease nutrient availability; event covered the following topics: and n Coasts. Changes in sea level would increase coastalfloodinganderosion,especiallyflatbeaches n Hydropower. Changes are projected in the an- nual pattern of electricity demand and in the and in areas of tectonic subsidence. Increased annual pattern of electricity production. The winter precipitation could increase the risk of Conference recommended strategies to (a) ad- landslides and coastal flooding. Changes in ocean just reservoir operations for a changing climate; circulation, which are important for coastal eco- (b) conserve electricity to reduce overall demand; systems, are uncertain. (c) use market forces to reduce electricity demand during critical periods; (d) increase capacity, di- King County decision-makers and planners receive reg- versity, and interconnectivity of hydropower gen- ular climate updates. This puts King County in an excel- eration; and (e) shift electricity production toward lent position to invest in capital projects that will make renewables, nuclear, or thermal generation; the region more resilient. Capital projects include the Brightwater Reclaimed Water Project to address water n Municipal/industrial water supply. Chang- es in the annual patterns of stream flow will affect shortages and improvements to roads, bridges, and sea- water supply and make more difficult the supply walls to deal with sea-level rise and flooding. of summertime demand as the stream flows alter their patterns; Seattle bases its mitigation programs on studies that detail conditions and vulnerabilities in structural and n Stormwater and floods. Changes to a warmer climate where precipitation falls as rain instead of nonstructural activities. Seattle has prepared emergency snow and the increased loss of snowpack could management studies, especially seismic evaluations. The increase winter flooding in transient river basins. mitigation unit manages state and FEMA funds12 for mitigation projects and works with other City depart- n Forestry. Changes in tree species that may mi ments to learn about and integrate mitigation into post- 7 City Profiles disaster recovery initiatives. A program that has created n Buildings and land use awareness is the Seattle Project Impact, a proactive effort Goals: to make communities more resilient. Seattle Project Im- 1. Protect the historic built environment, agricul- pact works with City stakeholders to take action before a tural land, forestry, and open spaces as ecological disaster occurs for safer homes, schools, and businesses, buffers against global warming impacts. Seattle and better mapping of earthquake and landslide haz- is actively working to protect its historic urban ards. Seattle also actively engages with the community areas through its Historic Preservation Program. through the Seattle Disaster Aid and Response Teams The Program is responsible for the designation (SDART), a highly successful initiative to accomplish the and protection of more than 230 historic struc- goal of preparing people to be self-sufficient for three tures sites, objects, and vessels, as well as seven days following a serious disaster when assistance may not historic districts throughout Seattle; and be available. 2. Ensure efficient land use and development by densifying designated urban growth areas Set Priorities to make communities more "walkable" and King County has set priorities based on its learning and healthier, and ultimately encourage people to established the following goals for each of the priority drive less. impacts it will confront:13 n Environmental management n Transportation choices. King County's big- Goals: gest source of GHG emissions is the transporta- 1. Protect health, safety, and landscape from global tion sector. warming impacts and related natural resource supply emergencies and threats; and Goals: 2. Capture methane emissions from landfills and 1. Achieve climate stabilization target in govern- sequester carbon dioxide emissions in forests. ment operations by reducing GHG emissions 80 percent below current levels by 2050; n Renewable energy 2. Reduce fossil fuel consumption, global warm- Goals: ing emissions, and foreign energy dependence; 1. Obtain 50 percent of nontransit energy use 3. Encourage growth in the domestic clean-fuel from renewable resources by 2012; industry; and 2. Obtain 50 percent of transit fuel by renewable 4. Strengthen infrastructure against the likely im- resources by 2020; pacts of climate change. 3. Be a market catalyst for increased use and avail- ability of renewable energy resources; 4. Cut pollution; and 5. Reduce dependence on foreign oil. Capital projects include the Brightwater Emergency Management and Disaster Risk Management Reclaimed Water Project to address water Seattle established a vision statement, goals, and objec- tives through its Hazard Mitigation Work Group. Emer- shortages and improvements to roads, gency management is the jurisdiction of Seattle and, to that effect, it has worked to inform itself and its citizens bridges, and seawalls to deal with sea- of what to expect and how to deal with emergency situ- ations. The community is an active participant in the re- level rise and flooding. sponse strategies of the City as with the County. 8 Seattle, WA, USA Seattle created a Capital Improvement Program to address the capital requirements of the local government includ- The Seattle process established a vision ing those identified in its disaster management plan. Se- attle's department of finance allocates resources through statement, goals, and objectives through the Capital Improvement Program, a six-year program, updated annually, to rehabilitate, restore, improve, and its Hazard Mitigation Work Group. add to the city's capital facilities. The program is approved by the mayor and receives political backing from the city council through its adoption of the program in its pro- For historic urban areas, and the cultural and natural posed annual budget. The Capital Improvement Program heritage sites under threat, recommended actions in- is consistent with and supports the City's Comprehensive clude mapping the most valuable places and the poten- Plan. The program also provides information as required tial threats from climate change. Other actions include by the State's Growth Management Act. building relationships between the regional scientific community and local decisions-makers; raising aware- Priorities as presented in the Capital Improvement Pro- ness about sites in danger; seeking solutions to reduce gram are: global warming emissions in the context of conservation of the areas' heritage assets, including (as applicable) n Rehabilitation or restoration of existing facilities green building principles; and retrofitting structures to to avoid deferred costs of maintenance and to resist earthquakes and wind damage toxicity of the air to meet regulatory requirements; control surface deterioration of historic buildings.14 n Improvements of existing facilities to meet grow- ing demand and to improve efficiency; and n Development of new facilities. IV/ outCoMe/IMpaCts Taking Action King County leadership takes the position that local gov- The King County "no-regrets" policies are being ap- ernments and their communities will be required to deal plied to the vulnerable built environment, as well as with the increasingly extreme conditions, floods short- other sectors that represent nonstructural vulnerabili- ages, and health concerns, as well as guide responsibly ties such as health. No-regrets policies are also applied the future growth for resilient cities. King County and to promoting the use of reclaimed water as a drought- Seattle have laid out their accomplishment in the out- proof source of summer irrigation water. The King reach materials that describe building a more resilient County "no-regrets" policies are being applied to the County and City:15 vulnerable built environment, as well as other sectors that represent nonstructural vulnerabilities such as transportation Choices health. No-regrets policies are also applied to promoting n Built a green fleet of hybrid buses and cars; the use of reclaimed water as a drought-proof source n Led a regional consortium to purchase heavy- of summer irrigation water. Another initiative shore duty trucks; up the 199 miles of levees along the Green and Cedar n Used 20 percent biodiesel, along with other clean rivers in King County, that dated from the 1930s and fuels, to run Metro and other diesel-powered 1940s. The last maintenance of the levees was when county vehicles; Army Corps of Engineers shored up the levees in the n Developed intelligent transportation systems that 1960s. To finance the improvements, the County Coun- support climate-friendly community planning cil increased property taxes by 10 cents per US$1,000 and transportation choices; of assessed value to raise money for levee repairs and n Expanded regional parks and trails systems; and other flood-control projects. n Established first mass transit system in the Unit- 9 City Profiles ed States to join Chicago Climate Exchange, a the City Profiles, please visit www.worldbank.org/eap/ voluntary market committed to reducing global climatecities. Suggestions for updating these profiles may warming emissions. be sent to climatecities@worldbank.org. 1 King County Climate Plan, 2007, http://www. buildings and land use metrokc.gov/exec/news/2007/pdf/climateplan.pdf. n Protected 125,000 acres of open space, including 2 AGR 2006; The 2006 Annual Growth Report, http:// 100,000 in the last eight years, and slowed subur- www.metrokc.gov/budget/agr/agr06/index.htm. ban sprawl; 3 Seattle All-Hazards Mitigation Plan, http://www. n Expanded and linked regional trail systems; and seattle.gov/emergency/library/Haz%20Mit%20 n Established ordinances providing increased pro- tection of sensitive shorelines, wetlands, lakes, Plan%20Feb%2004.pdf. and natural vegetation. 4 Seattle All-Hazards Mitigation Plan, p. 2­4. 5 Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis, p. environmental Management 9, http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/programs/hiva. n Increased protection of shoreline, wetlands, lakes, aspx. and natural vegetation; 6 TheSeattleEmergencyManagementSectionmaintains n Completed salmon recovery plans; a website for detailed information on the programs it is n Created nation's leading flood hazard manage- carrying out. www.cityofseattle/emergency_mgt. ment plan; and 7 2007KingCountyClimatePlan,http://www.metrokc. n Safely used reclaimed water. gov/exec/news/2007/pdf/climateplan.pdf. 8 renewable energy AGR Report, p. 5. n Enacted major energy and resource conservation 9 Hazard Identification and & Vulnerability Analysis, management programs; p. 14. n Hydrogen fuel cell demonstration project; 10The Seattle Times, December 18, 2007. n Converting waste to energy at the wastewater 11http://www.seattle9.gov/climate/report.htm. treatment facilities; and 12FEMA funds: Federal Emergency Management n As a large consumer of biodiesel, King County supported significant expansion of the market. Agency at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is providing assistance and funds in areas affected by notes natural disasters. This "City Profile" is part of Climate Resilient Cities: A 13From the King County Climate Plan and the informa- Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Disasters, published by the tion brochure on "Global Warming and King County." World Bank. The analysis presented here is based on data 14Municipal World, February 2007. available at the time of writing. For the latest information 15From the King County Climate Plan and the informa- related to the Primer and associated materials, including tion brochure on "Global Warming and King County." © 2009 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. 10 Seattle, WA, USA Sustainable Development East Asia and Pacific Region 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433, USA Telephone: 202 473 1000 Facsimile: 202 477 6391 Web Site: www.worldbank.org/eapsd and www.worldbank.org/eapurban 11