Transportation / Infrastructure

Expansive areas of low elevation in many densely populated coastal areas are at elevated risk of storm surges and flooding due to torrential precipitation, as a result of sea level rise. These phenomena could have catastrophic impacts on coastal communities and result in the destruction of critical infrastructure, disruption of economic activities and salt water contamination of the water supply.

As sea levels rise, coastal communities will experience more frequent and persistent nuisance flooding, and some low‐lying areas may be permanently inundated. Critical components of lifeline infrastructure networks in these areas are also at risk of flooding, which could cause significant service disruptions that extend beyond the flooded zone. Thus, identifying critical infrastructure components that are exposed to sea level rise is an important first step in developing targeted investment in protective actions and enhancing the overall resilience of coastal communities.

This report synthesizes and presents the results of a planning process designed to help the Pala Band of Mission Indians more proactively prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Prior to this report, Pala assessed its vulnerability to climate change, which was summarized in its Vulnerability Assessment. The Vulnerability Assessment concluded thatelevated temperature, wildfire, storms and flooding, and drought present high-risk climate change exposures for Pala.

Project Purpose and Background

In 2016, the Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) began an effort to identify a suite of indicators that can be used to track and analyze trends, impacts, and progress towards advancing “climate resiliency.” The chief aim of this initiative is to track progress toward the climate resiliency goal and outcomes in the 2014 Watershed Agreement:

Resilient Atlanta includes a comprehensive and actionable set of Visions, Targets, and Actions that addresses the region’s most pressing stresses and seeks to build capacity among residents and city systems alike to better withstand future shocks. The Strategy is organized into four leading Visions which reflect residents’ and stakeholders’ aspirations for Atlanta’s future. We have set Targets supported by Actions that detail specific programs and policies to realize each Vision:

The Pala Band of Mission Indians has assessed its vulnerability to climate change, which is summarized in this report. Climate change refers to long-term changes in usual or expected weather patterns resulting from an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. To determine Pala’s climate change vulnerability, this process entailed review of literature, data, staff knowledge, and community observations to determine to what extent Pala may be exposed to various climate changes now and in the future.

Scenario planning is a popular decision-support method that is increasingly being applied to climate change adaptation. However, evaluation of scenario planning for adaptation is lacking. In this paper authors summarize a science-policy session held at the European Climate Change Adaptation Conference in May 2019, where practitioners explored the strengths and weaknesses of scenario planning for climate adaptation and identified modifications to enhance the method’s utility.

The Anchorage Climate Action Plan puts Anchorage on a path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% from 2008 levels by 2050, with an interim goal of 40% by 2030.*,1,2 Many of the actions in this plan are focused on addressing the primary cause of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, Anchorage residents are already experiencing many initial impacts of climate change, including warmer winters, icier roads, and more winter rain. The Climate Action Plan includes actions that will help Anchorage prepare for these and future impacts.