CLIMATE SCIENCE

Here, information on carbon sequestration, climate research and development, and land change science can be found. The climate research and development program, in particular, includes studies of geology, hydrology, geography, and biology to document patterns of climate and land-use change, and is designed to advance the understanding of the causes and consequences of climate and land use change.

www.usgs.gov/climate_landuse

The International Council on Monuments and Sites is an international non-governmental organization which aims to promote the conservation, protection, use, and enhancement of monuments, building complexes and sites. ICOMOS has created a ‘Blue Shield’ program, or the cultural equivalent to Red Cross, and the goal of this program is to protect cultural sites from destruction in armed conflicts or natural disasters. 

www.icomos.org/en

ICOMOS has also partnered with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to develop a toolkit for disaster risk reduction and a link to the associated report can be found below.

www.preventionweb.net/drr-framework/sendai-framework

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is working to address climate change as it relates to historic structures in coastal zones. Here is a reading list from the NTHPs Preservation Leadership Forum Blog that aggregates numerous articles and resources surrounding preservation and climate change.

blog.preservationleadershipforum.org

The National Climate Assessment has created this interactive website as a product of the U.S. Global Change Research Program which consists of a team of 300+ experts guided by a 60-member Federal Advisory committee that produced the National Climate Assessment Report. It includes summaries on the impacts of climate change for each region of the U.S., as well as possible adaptation strategies.

nca2014.globalchange.gov

FEMA’s Base Flood Elevation (BFE) Data tool allows you to type in your address and get your flood zone information which can help determine if you must buy flood insurance and how much it costs. This info will allow you to meet with your local permitting and building authority to access building requirements for your property. Each community has a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that designates flood zones, base flood elevations, and special flood hazard areas. FEMA suggests elevating your home’s lowest floor above your community’s BFE to reduce your flood risk and lower insurance premiums.

In coastal areas, BFEs are calculated by assessing the storm surge stillwater elevation, the amount of wave setup, the wave height above the storm surge Stillwater elevation, and the wave runup above the storm surge Stillwater elevation—all which are calculated based on coastal storm surge and overland wave modeling analyses.

The flood zone information can be broken down into three categories: Zone VE, Zone A/AE, and Zone X (Shaded).

•         Zone VE indicates the area subject to high velocity wave action from a 1% annual chance flood. These zones can experience 3-foot breaking waves and are subject to more stringent building codes because they are exposed to higher risk. BFEs are established in this zone.
•         Zone A/AE is not subject to high velocity wave action, but are still considered high risk flood areas and are subject to inundation from the 1% annual chance flood. AE zones have BFEs established, whereas A zones do not.

·         Zone X (shaded) areas are subject to moderate coastal flood risk outside of the 1% annual chance flood.

region2coastal.com/view-flood-maps-data/what-is-my-bfe-address-lookup-tool/

NOAA has included links to the National Climate Assessment Resources for Educators, which is a tool for teaching about climate change. They have also created the climate Resilience Toolkit, which is a framework for guiding individuals, businesses, and communities through the process of planning and implementing resilience-building projects.

climate.gov

The Army Corps is currently applying adaptation measures on both regional and local scales to address Climate Change. The USACE has projects involving coastal storm adaptation, ecosystem adaptation, greenhouse gas accounting, sea-level change adaptation, water management adaptation and others.

corpsclimate.us/rcc.cfm

EPA provides an overview of the basic science behind the causes of climate change and the steps that individuals can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One tool on their website is the Carbon Footprint Calculator, which asks a series of questions about current utility bills, use of Energy Star appliances and lighting, vehicle usage, and recycling to help calculate your household carbon footprint. The page also includes a link to issues that face each region of the United States, which provides useful information on the impacts of climate change to human health, agriculture, and ecosystems.

www3.epa.gov/climatechange/

This site includes information about the impacts of climate change on America’s national parks. Also included is information on NPS efforts to respond in four areas—using science to help understands impacts, maintaining flexibility in adapting to change, reducing the carbon footprint, and educating park staff and visitors on steps the agency is taking to preserve our national heritage.

nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/index.htm

The National Wildlife Federation has written numerous documents to aid in climate adaptation, that include climate adaptation guidelines, community guidelines to climate planning, habitat vulnerability assessments, as well as case studies on specific regions throughout the U.S.

nwf.org/What-We-Do/Energy-and-Climate/Climate-Smart-Conservation/Adaptation-Reports.aspx

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is working to address climate change as it relates to historic structures in coastal zones. Here is a reading list from the NTHPs Preservation Leadership Forum Blog that aggregates numerous articles and resources surrounding preservation and climate change.

blog.preservationleadershipforum.org/2014/08/26/preservationcrisis-climate-change/#.Vg6ES3pVhBc