The US Environmental Protection Agency has a new publication available which describes some methods local communities can take to prepare for and adapt to changes in climate. A list of chapters in the publication is below.
- Chapter 2: Overcoming Barriers to Climate Adaptation discusses potential social and legal barriers.
- Chapter 3: Overall Strategies discusses smart growth strategies that help adapt to multiple climate change impacts and that can be a foundation for the policies in subsequent chapters.
- Chapter 4: Adapting to Flooding and Extreme Precipitation includes code and policy options that deal mainly with riverine flooding and managing stormwater to prevent flooding and water pollution. This chapter includes green infrastructure strategies that can also help communities cope with extreme heat and other policy options that are relevant to sea level rise.
- Chapter 5: Adapting to Sea Level Rise includes strategies that are specifically related to higher storm surges and other impacts from sea level rise.
- Chapter 6: Adapting to Extreme Heat discusses strategies to protect people from heat waves, including green building and energy efficiency.
- Chapter 7: Adapting to Drought includes water conservation strategies for individual buildings as well as entire communities.
- Chapter 8: Adapting to Wildfire focuses on smart growth and green building strategies to protect neighborhoods from fire damage.
You can read more about it and find a link to the download site at https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-fixes-climate-adaptation-and-resilience. Considering the uncertain status of the EPA, if you think you will need this you might want to download a copy soon.
