JUNE 2020 | POST-COVID RECOVERY, THE POWER OF OFFSHORE WIND, AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
The recent national and local events are an urgent call for meaningful action and deep self-reflection. Karp Strategies strives to continually learn about and show up for anti-racism through our body of work and as individuals and as a team. Like many other organizations, our team is dedicating time and effort toward questioning our own practices, patterns, and taking action on how we can do better and more. We welcome conversations and partnerships with colleagues in the field as we work together to make effective, lasting change, and would be glad to share and learn of resources to support each other's efforts.
In our field, the American Planning Association's New York Metro Chapter's Diversity Committee issued a strong set of actions and recommendations to promote urban planning that leads with equity and anti-racism. We strongly recommend you read these as an excellent resource. As we look towards the long road to healing, this month's newsletter focuses on social and environmental infrastructure that can help economies recover from COVID-19 and become more sustainable.
HARNESSING THE POWER OF OFFSHORE WIND
Offshore wind is a nascent but promising industry for the Eastern and Western US. Global offshore wind investments are expected to exceed $211 billion in the next five years. In the US, the market is expected to produce between 20 and 30 gigawatts (GW) of energy in the coming decade, generating $25 billion in annual economic return and 83,000 new jobs by 2030. This capacity will only grow: the US Department of Energy posits that offshore wind could eventually produce 2,000 GW of annual capacity - double the country’s current electricity use.
Karp Strategies is proud to be working closely with leaders in the offshore wind energy industry who are passionate about and committed to introducing this renewable energy source to communities and economies across the East Coast. We recently completed work for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Shell New Energies and EDF Renewables. Karp Strategies developed a robust stakeholder engagement strategy to guide Atlantic Shores’ external affairs work, as well as an analysis to understand the workforce and capacity-building needs for the construction and operations of offshore wind.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR OFFSHORE WIND?
Throughout the US, and particularly within the New York/New Jersey market, investments in clean energy are doubling down – trends that Karp Strategies is eager to actively support through the firm's array of practice and service areas. Our work has and will continue to help guide Atlantic Shores’ next steps as they move closer to meet energy targets in multiple East Coast markets. Atlantic Shores continues to advance their work and demonstrate leadership throughout COVID-19, increasing safety protocols and guidelines for the vessels surveying their lease area, and bringing on WBE firm EDR to manage environmental permitting.
If you are interested in learning more about our offshore wind practice area, please reach out at info@karpstrategies.com. We look forward to speaking.
If you’re looking to become savvy around offshore wind, check out the recorded conference sessions from last week's US Offshore Wind ConfEx as well as WRISE's all-female panel discussing workforce development in offshore wind. WRISE: New York Offshore Wind | Have a WRISE membership? Check out a lively discussion from the women driving the next generation of renewable energy. View the recorded session here. Reuters USOW20: US Offshore Wind ConfEx | Watch a series of virtual events about offshore wind financing, regulations, project case studies, and more. Register here to access all sessions on demand. Reach out to Rebecca Karp, Jen Becker, Tania Marinos, and Cheryl Lim to discuss their takeaways from the event and plan next steps.
COVID-19 AND THE PATH AHEAD
The road to economic recovery after COVID-19 must be bold and inclusive, not backward, but forward looking. Karp Strategies is diving into the economic development models and urban policies that will make necessary choices, the smart and equitable ones for our cities, inviting more people to the decision-making table.
Rebecca Karprecently spoke as a panelist on Commercial Observer’s Tenant Talks on rebuilding New York in a post-COVID world. Thank you Fisher Brothers for sponsoring the panel!
Rebecca Karp joined byMax Gross (Commercial Observer), Winston Fisher (Fisher Brothers), Richard Florida (University of Toronto), and Hardik Bhatt (Amazon)
The conversation considered what it will take for New York City to reemerge on the leading edge. The panelists shared three central recommendations: subsidize and support small businesses, balance business and community growth, and invest in infrastructure.
“COVID laid bare the economic fault lines of inequality in our city. This should be an opportunity to build back stronger, such as post-Sandy, to become more resilient, and define what the new normal should look like to be pro-business, pro-city, and pro-community.” - Rebecca Karp
Read our reflection on the discussion on our company blog and access the recorded webinar here.
Reopening small businesses will be critical to reviving urban life. Rebecca also recently participated in Interise Strong, a COVID-19 crisis response program for StreetWise MBA alumni that equips M/WBE CEOs with the strategies to navigate uncertainty and financial shocks.
CALLING ALL CIVIC LEADERS AND CHANGEMAKERS
Karp Strategies is proud to sponsor the Coro New York Leadership Center, which hosts a suite of transformative leadership development programs for New York’s best and brightest.
For mid-career professionals, the Leadership New York Program - whose graduates include Rebecca Karp, Jen Becker, and Ali Sutherland-Brown on our team - is accepting applications until June 30th. We highly encourage our peers to apply here! Contact us with any questions - we would be delighted to share our experiences with you.
For early-career professionals, the Coro Fellows program brings twelve up and coming leaders together for experiential cross-sector learning. Karp Strategies hosted two Fellows from this year’s unstoppable cohort who have officially graduated and are entering the job market. If you are looking for a talented, curious, ambitious young leader to join your team, someone who is a civic change maker interested in diving in, reach out to a Fellow. Many of them are now on the job market and eager to meet YOU and help YOUR TEAM thrive through and beyond the pandemic.
Get to know the Fellows here.
EVENTS | RECENT + UPCOMING
Join us as we keep our finger on the pulse of key issues impacting our region.
NYC Commission on Gender Equity’s | Town Hall on Gender Equity and the COVID-19 Recovery | Hear from experts on the impacts of COVID-19 on girls, women, transgender, and gender-nonbinary New Yorkers and the approach for an equitability recovery. Watch the recorded session here. New York Building Congress: Espresso with Carlo Featuring Elizabeth Velez & Cheryl McKissack | Listen to a discussion about issues of inclusion and equity within the building and development industry. Watch the recorded conversation here. Urban Design Forum: City Life After Coronavirus: São Paulo, June 22, 12:30 PM | Tune in to a discussion about how leaders in São Paulo and New York are organizing support for communities hit hard by the pandemic. Register here. RPA: What Comes Next? The Future of Housing, Neighborhoods & Urban Living, June 25, 12 PM | Participate in a conversation about the long term effects of COVID-19 on our regional health, economy, and infrastructure. Register here. WRISE: Virtual Luncheon Event, June 30, 1 PM | Join this event to network with renewable energy professionals. Register here.
Want to continue the conversation? We’d love to hear from you. As always, we welcome the opportunity to connect with your network of partners and clients or to work with you. Feel free to drop us a line at info@karpstrategies.com
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