Resources

The coastal zone of the Gulf and Caribbean coasts of Mexico is extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts. These areas are already threatened by habitat degradation, ecosystem fragmentation, increased development and population growth, and a lack of coastal zone legislation to guide management and protection.

Dorchester County is Maryland’s second largest county and includes over 350,000 acres of wetlands, tidal marshes, creeks, and other low-lying lands. Around half of the county’s landscape lies at elevations below 4.9 feet, making it one of Maryland’s most at-risk counties to sea level rise.

Long Island Sound, bordered by New York and Connecticut, is one of the most densely populated coastal areas in the world with an estimated eight million people within its coastal watersheds. Sea level rise, intense coastal storms, and flooding threaten residents and the built and natural environments of these coastal communities.

Pilot workshops were conducted in March 2009 to educate and train coastal managers and planners in Washington State on climate change impacts and adaptation strategies.

The Tongass Futures Roundtable brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss economic, cultural, and ecological issues pertaining to the Tongass National Forest and Southeast Alaska. The Tongass National Forest is the world’s largest remaining intact temperate rainforest and houses multiple endangered and rare flora and fauna. The Roundtable has worked with the U.S.

Adapting to a Changing Climate in the Sky Island Region is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project that brings together natural resource management agencies, tribes, conservation organizations, landowners, and scientists to confront the mounting effects of climate change in this region, build resilience in natural systems, and provide a sound replicable model.

In 2006, the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program updated the Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan (ORMP), a statewide plan to protect and improve the condition of ocean resources in the state.

The British Columbia Government released a Climate Action Plan in 2008. As part of the effort to address climate change, the government is building a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy to address climate change impacts as it continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province.

Alaska is in the process of creating a statewide Climate Change Strategy to guide its programs and policies. Under the leadership of the Climate Change Sub-Cabinet, different advisory groups have provided recommendations on potential responses to climate change, including those on mitigation and adaptation.