This document provides guidance for municipalities on addressing climate change at the local level. It recommends starting with community engagement and partnerships to understand local concerns. Municipalities should then review climate data and projections, assess vulnerabilities, and integrate climate change considerations into existing plans and policies. The process takes time but focusing on priority impacts and using available resources can help communities begin practical steps to plan for and adapt to climate change.

1. WHERE TO START WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE?
GrowSmart Summit 2014 ‘Practical Steps for Municipalities’
Elizabeth Hertz Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

2. Why
Climate change
involves global
systems
Impacts are felt at
the local level
It will cost less to
adapt than to react

3. Who
Strong
community
engagement
Develop
partnerships

4. How
It’s a Process – and that’s a good thing
 Start the conversation with scientific data
 Listen to local knowledge and experience
 Determine what matters to the town and what
impacts are of concern (the scope)
 What aspects of town life will be impacted and
how? (vulnerability)
 Review existing town plans, policies, and ordinances
 Update as needed (integration)

5. Finding Good Data on Current Trends
and Projected Climate Changes
 Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
 http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/hazards/phim/
 University of Maine Climate Change Institute
 http://climatechange.umaine.edu/about/overview
 NOAA Digital Coast
 http://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/?redirect=301ocm
 NE Chapter of the National Climate Change Assessment
 http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/regions/northeast
 Northeast Climate Resource Center
 http://www.nrcc.cornell.edu/
 Climate Central – Surging Seas
 http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/

6. Getting from Point A to Point B
 Develop an inclusive process
 Start the conversation based on scientific data
 Solicit local experience and knowledge
 Agree on where to start, the impacts of concern
 Expect and accept that this will take time and that it
is time well spent

7. Assessing Your Vulnerability- what’s
sensitive and to what degree?
 This step includes enhancing your understanding of
climate change impacts, determining future threats,
and assessing local sensitivity and adaptive
capacity
 What’s most important?

8. Integrating the Knowledge – use what
you’ve got
 Comprehensive Plan
 Local ordinances:
 Land Use
 Flood plain
 Site Plan Review
 Subdivision
 Emergency Management
 Road maintenance