Lessons from the Past on Adapting to Climate Change | Laprisha Berry Daniels | TED

Summary

The speaker, a public health social worker, addresses the recurring issue of 100-year floods in Detroit, highlighting the urgent need for climate change preparedness. Drawing on her grandparents' migration experience, she outlines three key strategies for adaptation: acceptance of the new climate reality, establishing mutual aid communities, and investing in tools for resilience. She emphasizes the importance of learning from the past and considering social and political factors that may hinder progress in addressing climate challenges.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Detroit experienced two 100-year floods in 2014 and 2021, causing over a billion dollars in damages each time.
• 👋 The speaker greets the audience with a local phrase, 'What up doe?', setting a tone of connection and familiarity.
• 🔢 The term '100-year flood' is misleading as it does not mean a flood will only occur once every 100 years; Detroit's recent history proves this.
• 🌡 The speaker, a public health social worker, emphasizes the importance of developing interventions to improve health and prevent harm, drawing a parallel to preparing for climate crises.
• 🏡 The speaker's grandparents' migration story from the South to Detroit symbolizes a personal journey of adapting to a new 'climate', both literally and metaphorically.
• ❄️ Adapting to Detroit's weather required acceptance of new conditions, such as snow and short summers, which is a microcosm of the global climate change adaptation challenge.
• 🤝 The concept of mutual aid is highlighted as crucial for community resilience, both in the past for new migrants and in the present for flood response.
• 🛠 The need for physical adaptation, like getting shovels and covering windows, is compared to the broader need for societal adaptation to climate change.
• 🏙️ The speaker points out that social and political conditions, such as racism and discrimination, can hinder progress on climate change and other societal issues.
• 📈 The importance of learning from past experiences, like the floods of 2014 and 2021, is underscored to better prepare for future climate-related crises.
• 🌳 The three key strategies for dealing with change, acceptance, aid, and adaptation, are presented as a framework for addressing both historical and contemporary challenges.

Q & A

What is the unique greeting used in Detroit as mentioned in the script?

The unique greeting used in Detroit is 'What up doe?' which is different from the common 'what up, dog?'.

How much rainfall did Detroit experience during the 2021 flood event?

During the 2021 flood event, Detroit experienced seven inches of rain.

What were the consequences of the 2021 flood in Detroit in terms of damages and disruptions?

The 2021 flood in Detroit resulted in cars being stranded on highways, people swimming and kayaking down residential streets, and over a billion dollars in damages to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

Why does the speaker mention the 2014 flood event alongside the 2021 event?

The speaker mentions the 2014 flood to highlight the frequency of such extreme weather events and to point out that the interval between these events is much less than a century, challenging the notion of a '100-year flood'.

What is the speaker's profession and how does it relate to the topic of climate change?

The speaker is a public health social worker who focuses on developing interventions to improve health and well-being, and in this context, is concerned with preventing harm caused by climate change.

What are the three key strategies the speaker suggests for adjusting to new climates or climate change?

The three key strategies are acceptance, aid, and adaptation.

What does the speaker mean by 'acceptance' in the context of climate change?

Acceptance refers to acknowledging the reality of the new climate conditions and recognizing that they cannot be denied, avoided, or altered.

Can you explain the concept of 'mutual aid' as discussed in the script?

Mutual aid refers to communities supporting each other, helping to find housing, jobs, and resources, which is crucial for adjusting to climate change.

What are some examples of adaptation mentioned by the speaker?

Examples of adaptation include investing in tools like shovels, using sand and salt for icy conditions, and covering windows with plastic to keep out the cold.

How does the speaker connect the experiences of families moving from the South to Detroit with the concept of climate change?

The speaker draws a parallel between the adjustment these families had to make to a new weather climate in Detroit and the global adjustments needed for climate change, emphasizing the need for similar strategies of acceptance, aid, and adaptation.

What is the second definition of 'climate' mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to social and political conditions?

The second definition of 'climate' refers to the social, political, and emotional atmosphere that can hinder progress on climate change and other societal issues.

What is the speaker's call to action for preparing for future climate-related crises?

The speaker calls for acceptance of climate change as a current reality, the creation and support of mutual aid systems, and adaptation of thinking and actions to prepare for current and future crises.