Environmental Vulnerabilities & Opportunities

Extreme Heat

During our neighborhood visits, residents raised that during the Summer, the effects of heat are magnified and difficult to bear. According to the Environment and Health Data Portal, Coney Island is rated a 5 out of 5 on its Heat Index. This means that despite the weather’s temperature reading, it will often feel like extreme heat compared to other parts of the city with lower ratings. Referred to as a “Heat Island Effect” such conditions increase the risk of heat stroke and exhaustion.

Source: NYC Environment and Health Data Portal 2024

Tree Cover

The distribution of trees in the neighborhood contributes to the heat island effect on Coney Island. Trees are mainly concentrated in and around parks, while those throughout the neighborhood have large stretches of sidewalk between them. While walking around the neighborhood we also noticed that many of the trees outside of parks are not large enough to provide shade.

Solar Potential

While much of the neighborhood has the capacity for solar panel installation, existing solar infrastructure is very limited. Considering the effects of extreme heat impact on the neighborhood, support for increasing solar energy across the neighborhood will allow residents and businesses to save energy, and decrease their energy bills over time.

Projected Sea Level Rise Conditions

This section depicts sea level rise projections for Coney Island at one, three, five, and ten feet of flooding. These measurements were chosen based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s projections for the year 2100. The maps come from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). At just one foot of tidal flooding, the majority of the neighborhood is highly vulnerable. At 3 ft of tidal flooding, we see that the vulnerability of low lying residential areas near Kaiser park become increasingly vulnerable. The dark red indicates the areas that would be the most vulnerable. These include the beachfront, boardwalk and much of the residential areas. At ten feet of flooding, the water would inundate much of the island. The boardwalk, parks, residences, and areas surrounding Coney Island Hospital would be significantly impacted. These projections are not meant to instill fear, but serve as a call to action so that Coney Island’s infrastructure can be better prepared to withstand unforeseen weather events.

One Foot of Flooding

Three Feet of Flooding

Five Feet of Flooding

Source: National Atmospheric and Oceanic Agency (NOAA) Office of Coastal Management 2024

Ten Feet of Flooding