What is Climate Change? Climate change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period (typically decades or longer). Climate change may be due to natural internal processes or external forcings, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use.
Climate Change
- Climate Ready Communities Initiative
UW-Cooperative Extension Climate Ready Communities Initiative
Wisconsin’s communities are at risk from our changing climate. Extension is able to assist communities in identifying vulnerabilities to those risks, and evaluating strategies to prepare for them. UW-Extension’s Climate Ready Communities initiative provides training and support for county and campus faculty looking to work with local government, business, agriculture, forestry and other decision makers. - A Framework for Considering Climate Change in Transportation and Land-Use Scenario Planning: Lessons Learned from an Interagency Pilot Project on Cape Cod: Final Report
Based on lessons learned from an interagency pilot project on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this guidebook integrates climate change into transportation and land-use scenario planning, with a focus on reducing future greenhouse gas emissions and considering the potential impacts of sea-level rise on the region. It is a resource for organizations that may be interested in, or stand to benefit from, incorporating climate change considerations into transportation and land-use planning. - Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox
The Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox provides access to more than 500 resources that support climate adaptation planning at water utilities, including reports and publications, information about funding programs, upcoming workshops and training sessions, models and tools, and climate response materials that focus on mitigation and adaptive strategies. - Climate Protection Toolkit for Small Communities
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) – Local Governments for Sustainability has released a free resource to help communities with 25,000 people or fewer launch and maintain climate, energy, and sustainability initiatives. ICLEI’s Small Communities Toolkit provides detailed resources, case studies, and insight to help small communities succeed despite limitations of staff and funding. The toolkit helps smaller communities understand how to take advantage of their significant opportunities. - Rapid Climate Change Strategy for Local Government
Rapid Climate Change Strategy is the overall approach a government or organization can follow to adapt to the rapid onset of climate change locally and globally. Since the current climate change is scientifically linked to the use of fossil fuels, climate change strategy encompasses planning and implementing a strategy for reducing energy use and costs and shifting to renewable energy sources. - Rapid Climate Change Strategy for Business
Rapid Climate Change Strategy is the overall approach a government or organization can follow to adapt to the rapid onset of climate change locally and globally. Since the current climate change is scientifically linked to the use of fossil fuels, climate change strategy encompasses planning and implementing a strategy for reducing energy use and costs and shifting to renewable energy sources. - A Short Guide to Setting Up a City-Scale Retrofit Program
This guide, which was developed by Green for All and the Center on Wisconsin Strategies (COWS) and released in July 2009, provides a model for cities to design and implement large-scale weatherization and retrofitting programs that address climate change, put people to work, and reduce working families’ energy bills. - Climate Change in the Great Lakes
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute is hosting a on-line public discussion forum as part of it’s continuing “Climate Change in the Great Lakes: Starting a Public Discussion” project. - Global Development & Environment Institute working papers
Papers related to climate change published by the Global Development & Environment Institute at Tufts University - Twelve Ways to Act Locally to Address Climate Change
Recommendations on energy efficiency, green power, water conservation and more are paired with links to EPA’s partnership programs. - Rapid Climate Change and Energy Strategy for Business
An introduction to rapid climate change and energy strategy for business. PowerPoint presentation by Jay Moynihan (2008) - What is Climate Change and What is the Problem?
Short introduction to climate change science. PowerPoint presentation by Jay Moynihan (2008) - Communicating on Climate Change: An Essential Resource for Journalists, Scientists, and Educators
Written by Bud Ward Published by the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. This on-line full text book was developed from series of Metcalf Institute workshops funded by the National Science Foundation, addresses effective communication about climate change for editors, reporters, scientists, and academics. - Nova (PBS) broadcast “The Big Energy Gamble”
California’s Climate Change Law has the most ambitious timetable of any government in the world. In light of that, when working on climate change/energy planning, etc., take a look at what is being done in California. - California Climate Change Portal
The government of California’s “portal” for all things Climate Change & sustainable energy. - California Climate Change & Energy
This link connects to a resource catalog for educators on climate change and energy.
References and Tools on Climate Change
- Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox
The Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox provides access to more than 500 resources that support climate adaptation planning at water utilities, including reports and publications, information about funding programs, upcoming workshops and training sessions, models and tools, and climate response materials that focus on mitigation and adaptive strategies. - Wisconsin Land Use Megatrends: Climate Change
The publication draws on state and national trends to form a picture of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, resulting land use and ecological changes, and impacts on infrastructure and the economy. The publication wraps up by looking at adaptation and mitigation strategies that are suitable for local government officials and policy makers. - Climate Protection Toolkit for Small Communities
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) – Local Governments for Sustainability has released a free resource to help communities with 25,000 people or fewer launch and maintain climate, energy, and sustainability initiatives. ICLEI’s Small Communities Toolkit provides detailed resources, case studies, and insight to help small communities succeed despite limitations of staff and funding. The toolkit helps smaller communities understand how to take advantage of their significant opportunities. - California Climate Change Portal
The government of California’s “portal” for all things Climate Change & sustainable energy. - 350.org Workshop
350.org is a nonprofit organization working to reduce CO2 below 350 parts per million, considered the safe level for humanity. The organization has run dozens of workshops in over 20 countries, empowering thousands of new climate movement leaders. The website provides the content and materials of those workshops for free. - Climate Action Plan
Portland, Oregon’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability 2009 Climate Action Plan. Also provides links to 2011 progress report. - Ohio State University Climate Change Outreach Team
The OSU Climate Change Outreach Team is a partnership among multiple departments within Ohio State University. The team’s goal is to help localize the climate change issue by bringing related research and resources to residents of Ohio and the Great Lakes region. Topics include: ecosystems, public health, infrastructure, water, climate, public policy and education. - OSU’s Current Webinars
Ohio State University’s current listing of webinars. Also at the site are various Great Lakes Curriculum that address climate changes. - OSU Archive of past webinars
Archive of past webinars produced by Ohio State University include: Future of International Climate Agreements, Framing Climate Change: Recent Research Trends on Communication Strategies and Public Opinion, Chicago Climate Action Plan, Climate Change & Invaders: Sources of Uncertainty in Managing the Great Lakes Region, Balancing the Economic Benefits with the Environmental Impacts of Shale Energy Development, and many more.
Climate Action Plans and Initiatives
- CIA Climate Change and National Security
CIA Press Release on the 2009 opening of a Climate Change and National Security office.
Climate Change Curriculum
- Creative Change Educational Solutions
The curriculum and resource Creative Change Educational Solutions center provides an extensive library of interdisciplinary resources to support sustainability education. Curriculum materials cover energy, sustainable communities, ecological footprints and come with student booklets, teacher’s guides, and multimedia support materials. This is a membership-based organization with an annual subscription price of $125. - My Community, Our Earth
A website by the Association of American Geographers focused on geographic learning for sustainable development. My Community, Our Earth was created in the year 2002 to address sustainable development issues, including biodiversity, climate change, poverty eradication, fresh water supply, and urbanization. The theme of sustainable development is approached by using a geographic perspective that allows innovative responses to local community challenges. The learning and resources portion of this website houses a variety of interactive tools and resources including a digital library, recommended resources, an interactive adventures page and a Youth-led Project gallery. - Climate, Adaption, Mitigation, and E-Learning
CAMEL is an interdisciplinary, multimedia resource for teachers. This site has 200 topic areas related to climate change that provides teachers the tools they need to teach about climate change. - Northwest Earth Institute
The Northwest Earth Institute offers discussion courses on Powering a Bright Future; Global Warming: Changing CO2urse; Just Below the Surface; Choices for Sustainable Living; A World of Health; Hungry for Change; Menu for the Future; Sustainable Systems at Work; Healthy Children Healthy Planet; Voluntary Simplicity; and Reconnecting with Earth. - California Climate Change & Energy
A link to a resource catalog on climate change and energy for educators. - Climate Change Curriculum Links for Educators
This is an 11 page PDF published by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and provides numerous climate change curriculum links. - Climate Change Curriculum Connections
Produced by the National Wildlife Foundation, the Climate Change Curriculum Connections provides links for a variety of curricula created by numerous nonprofit and government organizations. - Climate Change Education
K-12 lesson plans and curriculum links on ecology and climate change. - Wisconsin’s Water Library for Kids
This web page lists Climate Change Curriculum Ideas from a variety of sources.
Climate Resilience, Adaptation, Transitions, and Mitigation
- Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation
This is a 594 page report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2012)
Chapter 1 – Climate Change New Dimensions Disaster Risk Exposure Vulnerability and Resilience
Chapter 2 – Determinants of Risk: Exposure and Vulnerability
Chapter 3 – Changes in Climate Extremes and their Impacts on the Natural Physical Environment
Chapter 4 – Changes in Impacts of Climate Extremes: Human Systems and Ecosystems
Chapter 5 – Managing the Risks from Climate Extremes at the Local Level
Chapter 6 – National Systems for Managing the Risks from Climate Extremes and Disasters
Chapter 7 – Managing the Risks: International Level and Integration across Scales
Chapter 8 – Toward a Sustainable and Resilient Future
Chapter 9 – Case Studies - A 20 page Summary for Policymakers
- A 27 page PDF slide show of the report
- Adaptation Clearinghouse
The Adaptation Clearinghouse seeks to assist state policymakers, resource managers, academics, and others who are working to help communities adapt to climate change. This is the web site for the Georgetown Climate Center and provides resources on Policy: Law and Governance, Sea-level Rise and Urban Heat; Sector Materials: Coasts, Public Health, Transportation and Water. - Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation
Released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this report assess existing literature on the future potential of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change. Available for download at this site is a PDF presentation and the full report which is over 1,000 pages. - Community Resilience and Adaptation
This page discusses and defines community resilience and adaptation and provides links to PDFs on a variety of topics related to community resilience and adaptation. - Explaining Extreme Events of 2011 from a Climate Perspective
A 28 page PDF from published by the American Meteorological Society (July 2012). The authors use different methodologies to explain six extreme events from a climate perspective. - Stockholm Resilience Centre
Stockholm Resilience Centre advances research on the governance of social-ecological systems with a special emphasis on resilience – the ability to deal with change and continue to develop. The site has annual reports from 2007 – 2011. - Resilience Alliance
The Resilience Alliance is a research organization comprised of scientists and practitioners from many disciplines who collaborate to explore the dynamics of social-ecological systems. The body of knowledge developed by the RA, encompasses key concepts of resilience, adaptability and transformability and provides a foundation for sustainable development policy and practice. The web site includes key concepts (focused mostly on adaptation), research (case studies on resilience) and resources (newsletters, data bases). - Institute for Sustainable Communities
The Institute for Sustainable Communities provides people the tools and skills they need to inspire citizenship, protect the environment and take on climate change. ISC’s mission is to help communities around the world address environmental, economic, and social challenges to build a better future shaped and shared by all. The Institute works with communities on climate resiliency, developing vibrant communities and to address energy efficiency, sustainable economies and climate disruption. - Resilience Circles
Resilience Circles are small groups where people come together to increase their personal security through learning, mutual aid, social action, and community support. The site offers resources such as a facilitators guide and for finding or starting a circle, as well as a blog. - Community & Regional Resilience Institute
The Community and Regional Resilience Institute (CARRI) believes that resilient communities are the foundation of a strong and resilient nation. Community resilience encompasses the full fabric of the community and its ability to resist and/or rapidly recover from extreme events. The web site offers a blog, publications, and a Community Resilience System which is a web-based system that helps communities create a vision for the future and establish the actions necessary to improve resilience to disasters and disturbances. - Climate Literacy; The Essential Principles of Climate Science
NOAA climate literacy booklet. - Great Lakes Community Climate Program
Freshwater Future’s Climate Program focuses on how to recognize and incorporate climate change adaptation into the work already being done to protect water resources. This page offers information about the Freshwater Future’s Climate Symposiums and Climate Grants and a downloadable Climate Adaptation Toolkit and Resources for Climate Adaptation Work. - Converge Project
The CONVERGE project is funded by the European Union and includes nine partners from five countries. Research is inspired by the concept of contraction and convergence; a suggested way to stabilize greenhouse gasses while promoting social equity with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. - Resource Conservation and Recovery: A Guide to Developing and Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs
This is a U.S. EPA document for local governments focused on resource conservation and recovery strategies that involve avoiding, delaying, or decreasing the raw materials required for the production of new products through source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and energy recovery. These practices can reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life-cycle of materials, while also reducing air pollution, energy use, and landfill costs.
