Introduction
The city of New York comprises of five boroughs. These include two islands, which are Staten Island and Manhattan as well as Queens and Brooklyn, which are located along islands. The other one is the Bronx whose location is on the mainland of the United States. Manhattan is the widest of the five boroughs with a width of 2.3 miles and a length of 13.4 miles. Apart from its southern and northern, the avenues at the borough roughly run south and north and the streets run west or east ( Spada, 2009).
Map and Physical Description
The geographical and physical location of New York City is characterized by a coastal region, the Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson River. Even though this city is characterized by scarcity of land availability, it happens to be one of those cities in the United States with dense populations. The climate and environmental issues that arise in the city of New York are the ones that affect the management of its population density among others. There is a division of the island into eastern and western sides due to the existence of the fifth avenue. The approximate area of the land covered by this city is 304.6 square miles. Naturally, Todt Hill forms the highest point in New York City and it is situated about 124.9 meters beyond the sea level (Spada, 2009).
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Figure 1: Geographical Map of the New York City and its environs
Source: (Spada, 2009)
Topography
The topography of the New York City describes a region that is characterized by various landforms that are complex and diverse. The analysis of these landforms takes place through subdividing of the region into manageable portions. Further, the topography of this city is dominated by two uplands namely the Appalachian Highlands and the Adirondack Mountains. About twenty-five percent of the total area covering the city is occupied by the Adirondacks, which also covers the largest part of the northeastern part of the city (Spada, 2009).
Global Warming Projections
The vulnerability of the New York City and the associated changes in the climate could be traced to things such as the status of heat waves. Previously, New York City experienced close to eighteen days that recorded temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius. However, Knieling and Leal (2013) project that this number of days could go up to between 25 and 30 days by the year 2020 thus making the climatic conditions more adverse. Additionally, this number could increase further to more than 55 days a year if nothing is done to change the current trend of global warming. This is an implication that the number of deaths and destructions that are attributable to intense heat within the New York City and its environs could rise significantly. It is projected that the environmental changes around the New York City could cause an increase in sea level by about 20 inches by the year 2050 and a further 30 inches by the year 2080. The situation is expected to continue on an increasing trend if the changes in the climate remain unchecked. In that regard, there is the risk of experiencing cases of floods due to extreme sea levels.
Figure 2: Graphical representation of the carbon dioxide emission and the projected global temperatures
Source: (Wilbanks and Fernandez, 2014)
Presently, the global emissions of carbon dioxide are on a rising trend and unless there are immediate climatic interventions, there is a high likelihood that the threshold will be surpassed long before the year 2050. These projections are illustrated in the graphical representations shown above. The average levels of global temperature have already gone up way beyond the recommended pre-industrial levels (Wilbanks and Fernandez, 2014).
Analysis of Climatic Shaping of the Land and Future Projections
The present state and shape of the New York City have resulted from the influence of various climatic conditions occurrences such coastal storms including Sandy. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, several hurricanes have struck the City of New York. However, the major one was Sandy, which recorded the highest surge height as well as the highest scope and scale of destruction and devastation. Considering the precipitation levels, the present shape and climatic conditions in the New York City has resulted due to an increasing trend that has been witnessed since early nineteenth century. According to the data obtained from year-to-year variability, the level of precipitation experienced by the New York City increased during the winter and decreased during the summer between the year 1950 and the year 2010 ( Knieling and Leal, 2013). In addition, the level of precipitation in this region has been reducing during events characterized by heavy downpours. The rise with regard to the average annual temperature in this city has been taking place at a faster rate compared to the average rise in the global temperature. To this point, the changes in the climatic conditions have been felt in various parts across this city. It is projected that the current trend in the climatic changes will result in changes affecting the physical state of the land in this region to the extent that the ecosystems and the human health could be adversely affected if appropriate checks are not put in place.
Needs and Services of this Urban Society
The needs and services of the urban society in New York makes up a wide range of considerations. One of such considerations is the environmental sustainability of those needs with regard to the manufacture, production, and use. Some of the urban needs such as the production of use of energy sources such as oil and gas could pose considerable harms to the environment. The growing economy has increased the sustainability levels of other needs such as quality healthcare, affordable cost of living and efficient transportation among others. Today, certain needs in this urban society are met in circumstances that pose serious challenges to the environment thus, they may not be sustainable. Such needs include the conventional energy sources, which should be replaced by green energy sources such as solar and wind energy sources among others. The means used in the production and transportation of food within the urban society in New York are partly sustainable and partly unsustainable. This is because most production plants, as well as transportations systems and means, are still using non-renewable energy sources. When it comes to water and sanitation, the urban society in this city needs to invest in technologically advanced and environmentally friendly means of water treatments and recycling methods ( Wilbanks and Fernandez, 2014).
Summary and Proposed Options
Considering the climatic condition and topography of New York, this city can commence and continue with the use of green sources of energy as well as sustainable water sources through the prudent allocation of resources coupled with prioritization of climatic and environmental control measures. A considerable portion of the city’s budget should be dedicated towards green infrastructure projects and innovative technologies that enhance water sustainability and energy efficiency across the city. As such, there will be a significant reduction in the resources and funds directed towards environmental cleanup. The planning and funding options available New York’s initiatives towards environmental sustainability include putting in place green building plans and measures of water conservation. This allows for the improvement of energy efficiencies and well as reducing the percentage of carbon emission.
References
Knieling, J., & Leal, F. W. (2013). Climate change governance . Berlin: Springer.
Spada, M. D. (2009). New York real estate for salespersons . Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Wilbanks, T. J., & Fernandez, S. J. (2014). Climate change and infrastructure, urban
Systems, and vulnerabilities : Technical Report for the U.S. Department of Energy in Support of the National Climate Assessment. Island Press
