Paris Edwards, a member of the NW CASC Advisory Committee, is the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Program Lead at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Paris has worked with the ODOT Climate Office for three years, focusing on improving transportation system resilience and adaptation options. Prior to working at the agency, Paris held a science communication postdoc appointment with the USDA Northwest Climate Hub, which focused on climate change adaptation and the translation of science to practice. She also worked on climate change adaptation planning in Oregon through the non-profit sector and supported gender equity improvements to international adaptation research and training at Oregon State University.
Paris has interdisciplinary degrees in natural resource management, public health, public policy and law from Duke University, Oregon State University and the University of Idaho. A common thread through her academic and career pursuits is a dedication to bridging science, policy and practice for the public good. Outside of work, Paris still spends a lot of time outside running, biking and raising two (feral) little kids.
What led you to work in the field of climate adaptation?
What led me to this field is hard to pin down but there are a few key dots that connect my gravitation toward climate change adaptation. First, I was a very feral kid who chose to spend every possible hour outside. This established a strong connection to my environment and community, and it instilled a sense of stewardship and responsibility to others. I traveled a lot and saw the stark differences in how people live, while also recognizing the universal necessities we all depend on. I also gained awareness of the inequities in the world, which both agitated me and inspired ideas for change. I explored these ideas and studied under fantastic mentors, with a focus on linking inequitable access to life-supporting natural resources (specifically water) and preparing for changing climate conditions. In short, my path almost feels like it was predestined, and I’m very excited to be where I am.
What does your day-to-day work look like?
I now lead the Adaptation and Resilience Program at ODOT and because I became an interdisciplinarian, I get to interact, brainstorm and carry out work with a wide variety of people each day. For instance, I might start my day meeting with the climate change mitigation team within the ODOT Climate Office to brainstorm ideas and draft up policy concepts that support driving alternatives. We share the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation system and work together to help the agency meet state emission reduction targets. I might also meet with ODOT’s Research Section and researchers at Oregon State University to discuss expanding pilot research on post-fire landslide monitoring in high-risk locations. I might draft ideas to share with our GIS section on improvements to our public-facing climate hazard risk maps, and then cap the day off with learning about the newest cross-agency data-sharing tools to expand the potential for interdisciplinary approaches to adaptation. In sum, my days are largely spent digging into how to harness capacity within the agency and pull together the brilliant minds and rich data across the state to better serve the current and future public.
How does your organization support climate resilience in the Northwest?
The Oregon Department of Transportation, with leadership from the Climate Office since 2020, is supporting resilience in a couple of key ways. Foundationally, we work to reduce emissions from the transportation sector. These efforts are broad and range from expanding multi-modal transportation access (walk, bike and roll options) and establishing a state-wide network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to using low-carbon building materials in construction. Direct support for resilience comes from our Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Program. Our team developed a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Roadmap for the agency with specific strategies and actions for improvement. We also successfully placed climate into the top three agency priority areas for long-range planning, which provides broad policy support for resilience work. We developed state-wide priority resilience corridors and additional climate hazard map layers to support targeted decision making in high-risk locations and improve communication about risk. Our team is currently working on a “climate resilience lens” that will flag resilience-building opportunities within all proposed transportation improvement projects.
What is your favorite thing about your work?
I really like working on complex challenges and I see a lot of opportunities to support positive change through my position. I also really enjoy working with other problem-solving minds. They add hope and energy in a space where uncertainty and urgency can feel daunting.