It is hard to believe that it has already been five years since 2020. It feels like both a lifetime ago and just yesterday. We know a lot has happened since the Colorado Resiliency Framework was introduced, which is why we’re so excited for the newest update.
As a reminder, the Colorado Resiliency Framework (“Framework”) is a statewide document that helps Colorado prepare for current and future social, environmental and economic conditions and disruptions. Updated every five years, the Framework has three key functions. It serves as:
- an assessment, analyzing what is happening across the State in terms of social, environmental, and economic systems, and where vulnerabilities may exist,
- a guide, highlighting best practices and solutions that, while tailored to a State-led approach, can be modified to fit local needs and incorporated into local resilience planning efforts, and
- an action plan with strategies that span across sectors to help reduce vulnerabilities identified in the assessment, and position Colorado to be better able to adapt and thrive in the midst of changing conditions.
There are many moving pieces and diverse audiences with unique perspectives at play here, so let’s dive into how this plan is managed.
Who and What is the Colorado Resiliency Working Group (CRWG)
While DOLA’s Colorado Resiliency Office (CRO) is the convener and provides oversight and coordination for development and implementation of the Framework, this is a State plan, and involves an all-hands-on-deck approach that achieving true resilience requires. CRWG leads this work, which is made up of representatives from all State agencies involved in activities such as:
- disaster management
- sustainability
- conservation
- social needs and health
- infrastructure
- economic development, and more
As you can see, there is a wide spectrum of risk-reduction work involved.
In addition to providing subject matter expertise and helping to craft the strategies that ultimately are integrated into the Framework, this group meets regularly to coordinate, share resources and information, and continue to move this work forward over the five-year period.
What Can Be Expected with the 2025 Update?
We have learned an incredible amount, and endured significant disruptions since the first Colorado Resilience Framework drafted in 2015, which focused on long-term recovery following the 2013 Colorado Floods. We know the 2025 Framework needs to evolve.
We are experiencing disruptions on an unprecedented scale and we recognize that we cannot adequately prepare for the future by continuing to plan for the disruptions of the past. Our goal is to establish where the gaps exist, explore opportunities for resilience interventions, tighten up partnerships, reduce duplication, and redefine our measurements of success to increase transparency in our progress. If we achieve this goal, we will continue to position Colorado as a leader in resiliency work.
How Can I Get Involved?
Please stay connected with us as we build out ways to be engaged in this process. We are in the infancy stage of planning - focusing our energy in developing and implementing an inclusive outreach and engagement plan that brings in voices from the diverse array of communities across Colorado. We promise there will be opportunities to participate in-person and virtually through summits, at community events, through surveys, and more. Stay tuned!
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Curious about where we have come from? Check out our 2020 Colorado Resilience Framework on our website. Additionally, if you would like to see some great resilience action happening in Colorado communities, be sure to visit our Case Studies page.