More than half of the world’s population currently live in urban areas, and is expected to grow to over 65% in less than 30 years. This dramatic increase will continue to put pressure on already stressed systems due to aging infrastructure, and have a potentially drastic impact on the planet if not met with resilient and sustainable development alternatives.
While climate change may not discriminate, it disproportionately affects areas that are more vulnerable due to naturally occurring environmental conditions. New Jersey is particularly susceptible given many of its geographic features, which include a long, flat coastline, low-lying inland communities, as well as its intensely urban nature.
According to data collected and analyzed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), New Jersey’s average temperature has increased faster than any other state in the country – 2.55 degrees over the past century. This overarching trend affects every aspect of our existence.
But it’s still not too late. Municipalities everywhere – jointly – can effectively combat climate change through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted by member countries of the United Nations in 2015. The agenda, sought to be achieved by 2030, focuses on the ability to design, build, and legislate communities large and small in a sustainable manner.
The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainability as:
…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
By viewing sustainability as having three (3) main pillars – environment, social, and economic – sustainable development can occur by balancing the three; to protect the natural environment, promote the general welfare of the community, and provide opportunities where appropriate for economic development.
New Jersey Efforts
In recent years, the State of New Jersey has taken more assertive steps to incorporate sustainability into planning and policy. These include:
- The Draft 2019 New Jersey Energy Master Plan, which proposes to both achieve one hundred percent (100%) clean energy and reduce greenhouse emissions by 80% below their 2006 levels by 2050.
- The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which the State joined in 2019 after establishing a market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Executive Order No. 92, which was signed by Governor Murphy in 2019 to more than double New Jersey’s offshore wind goal from 3,500 megawatts of off-shore wind- generated electricity by 2030 to 7,500 megawatts by 2035.
- Executive Order No. 89, which was signed by Governor Murphy in 2019 to establish a Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy, an Interagency Council on Climate Resilience consisting of sixteen (16) different state agencies, and a Climate and Flood Resilience Program within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
- The passage of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Law in 2021, which requires that Electric Vehicle Supply/Service Equipment (EVSE) and Make-Ready parking spaces be designated as a permitted accessory use in all zoning or use districts and establishes associated installation and parking requirements related to EVSE.
- The passage of NJ Senate Bill 2607 passed in 2021 requiring New Jersey master plans to include as one of its elements a climate change related hazard vulnerability assessment. This must address at a minimum effects of rising sea-levels, drought, and temperature changes.
The Municipal Role
Burgis Associates, Inc. has been at the forefront of sustainable development since its founding in 1988. By providing expert consultation and testimony through its land use practice, our staff ensures that all applications follow the most rigorous review process to attest they comply with the goals and objectives of municipal master plans.
Through our award-winning Urban Design and Landscape Architecture divisions, we are able to provide beyond the legal requirements for approvals, and administer a full range of services to all public and private projects we represent; these are critical to establishing frameworks to assist municipalities approach climate related challenges. Having authored hundreds of Master Plans and Reexaminations, we are prepared to begin framing Sustainability Elements for municipalities addressing their individual needs across the state.