Fifty years ago, a group of MIT Scientists and students came together to create science-based solutions to the problems plaguing the planet. It will come as no surprise that, today, the main focus of the Union of Concerned Scientists is climate change. 

More savage fires on one coast and more vicious storms on the other are deadly proof that climate change is here, and effecting every part of our lives. It’s not just about how we prepare for big storms in NYC, but how resilient we are when they happen. 

Shana Udvardy is a Resilience Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists. She joined In Focus to talk about New York City’s resilience in the nine years since Superstorm Sandy. She acknowledged that, when the remnants of Ida came our way, the effects were devastating, which shows there is a lot more work to do. But, she says, New York has actually done a lot to begin the process of becoming the resilient city it needs to be as more destructive and more frequent storms take aim. She points particularly to The Big U, a plan designed to protect Lower Manhattan against floodwaters, storm surges and other effects of climate change.   

The amazing plan uses berms and deployable walls as defenses, from West 57^th Street, around the Battery and up to East 42^nd Street.  And, while she admits it will take a while, the science behind it will, one day, keep the city safe.