Rapid Research and Assessment on COVID-19 and Climate in New York City

Abstract

In May 2020, the New York City (NYC) Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency (MOCR) began convening bi-weekly discussions, called the Rapid Research and Assessment (RRA) Series, between City staff and external experts in science, policy, design, engineering, communications, and planning. The goal was to rapidly develop authoritative, actionable information to help integrate resiliency into the City’s COVID response efforts. The situation in NYC is not uncommon. Extreme events often require government officials, practitioners, and citizens to call upon multiple forms of scientific and technical assistance from rapid data collection to expert elicitation, each spanning more or less involved engagement. We compare the RRA to similar rapid assessment efforts and reflect on the nature of the RRA and similar efforts to exchange and co-produce knowledge. The RRA took up topics on social cohesion, risk communication, resilient and healthy buildings, and engagement, in many cases strengthening confidence in what was already known but also refining the existing knowledge in ways that can be helpful as the pandemic unfolds. Researchers also learned from each other ways to be supportive of the City of New York and MOCR in the future. The RRA network will continue to deepen, continue to co-produce actionable climate knowledge, and continue to value organizational sensemaking as a usable climate service, particularly in highly uncertain times. Given the complex, rare, and, in many cases, unfamiliar context of COVID-19, we argue that organizational sensemaking is a usable climate service.

Collecting and communicating perishable data in a post-disaster context: rapid research and rapid dissemination

“…In our changing world, where disasters last longer and are more frequent, making almost all natural hazards that hit unprepared human settlements result in compounding or cascading disasters, rapid research is becoming more and more important. As Kyrkjebo et al (2021) argue in their description of Rapid Research Assessment used in New York City for COVID-19 response planning, "organizational sense-making is a usable climate service." Future researchers should seek to incorporate or inform policy makers as early and often as possible, to ensure that the questions and the findings are usable and timed right (Kyrkjebo et al, 2021).…”

“…As Kyrkjebo et al (2021) argue in their description of Rapid Research Assessment used in New York City for COVID-19 response planning, "organizational sense-making is a usable climate service." Future researchers should seek to incorporate or inform policy makers as early and often as possible, to ensure that the questions and the findings are usable and timed right (Kyrkjebo et al, 2021). Just as researchers are likely to adapt our methods, approach, and dissemination strategies to the increasing and transforming needs, government agencies should pivot their strategies to quickly integrate lessons learned from research.…”