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Boulder Hazard Mitigation Plan Introduction The original hazard mitigation planning process was managed by The City of Boulder Public Works Department and included representatives from communities throughout the City of Boulder, Boulder County, non-profit agencies, Boulder County departments, members from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's Mitigation Section and FEMA Region 8. The plan was adopted officially in March 2018 and the plan will expire in 2023. Currently, the plan is being integrated with the Boulder County Hazard Mitigation Plan update process to increase whole community mitigation projects. The update process is being managed by the Boulder OEM and it will be submitted to FEMA for adoption in 2022. 1.5 Climate Change and Equity Considerations in the County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2021-2022 The Boulder County 2021-2022 Hazard Mitigation Plan update is focused on shifting from a reactive structure to a more proactive approach. Boulder County recognizes that climate change is real and that our planet is rapidly warming at a pace never experienced by humans. We can no longer use past hazard events as a good indicator for future hazard impacts. Although there is value in using our previous data and assessing trend lines, the County has made a commitment to integrating climate change into the 2021- 2026 H M P. Boulder County also recognizes that hazards do not impact members of our community equally. We recognize that the root causes of climate change, environmental injustice, and racial inequity are the same and are due to colonization and extraction of natural and human resources to the benefit of a few. In order to effectively reduce vulnerability of people, property, and the environment, we must acknowledge the true history of our country and identify solutions that prioritize the needs of the most marginalized. Finally, Boulder County understands that humans are part of the ecosystem and that we are deeply connected to and reliant on the natural environment. For decades we have neglected to respect the environment and that has led to air, water and soil quality issues and environmental degradation. In the 2021 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, Boulder County will continue to use the successful structure and strategies identified in our 2016 plan and incorporate climate change, social equity and ecological considerations into the risk assessment and mitigation strategies. Additionally, we will restructure elements of the plan to ensure connectivity to other implementation partners for a more holistic and proactive approach. This includes structure inclusive of social, ecological, and technological/infrastructure actions. Climate Change Global Context The Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate. Since 1880, the global average surface temperature has increased by two degrees Fahrenheit (NASA). Increasing air and ocean temperatures affect the planet's weather and climate systems leading to increases in extreme weather events and natural disasters. Although the planet has been through several cycles of heating and cooling, human activities that increase carbon dioxide and other emissions into the atmosphere have led to record warming over the past 40 years, and with it, record -setting extreme weather events. All but one of the 16 hottest years in NASA's 134-year record have occurred since the year 2000. To date, scientists have been able to document precipitation (rain and snowfall) variability globally, with increased average precipitation in some areas contrasting severe drought in other areas; ice sheets and mountain glaciers melting which reduces the Earth's ability to reflect sunlight; shifts in wildlife habitats including altered migration patterns, the loss of several species, and the thriving of disease carriers such as mosquitoes and ticks (NASA).