U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

A coalition of 26 businesses, environmental organizations, community groups, and universities in the Detroit area has produced the “Detroit Climate Action Plan.” The proposition intends to address public health and environmental justice issues through a plan that individuals and businesses can practice. The 77-page report contains 20 major goals for the coming years, including calls for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by Detroit businesses by 10 percent in the next 5 years, and 80 percent by 2050. Additionally, the plan recommends improvements to the energy efficiency and durability of homes, better stormwater runoff management, expanded use of renewable energy, and broadened recycling and organic waste collection by 2022.

This report, the first of its kind for the City of Grand Rapids, outlines the condition of the city's climate resiliency and offers recommendations for how it can both impact and adapt to climate change. The report's goal is to both spur a larger community conversation around processes that will enable Grand Rapids to become a more climate-resilient city and to spur many specific short- and near-term projects, policies, programs, and plans to mitigate the effects of climate change. The report documents projected local climate changes, their potential negative impact to low-income families, and outlines small near-term solutions that the city can make to curb or adapt to climate change. Recommendations include investing in green space and improving the city's tree canopy, improving the city's energy autonomy, and implementing green street infrastructure materials and maintenance techniques.

The City of Marquette is the largest city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and one of the most economically diverse in the state. The city is especially vulnerable to environmental, economic, and social impacts of climate change, largely because it borders Lake Superior. A team of Michigan State University Extension specialists and educators received funding from the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Center (GLISA) to collaborate with GLISA researchers, relevant decision makers, and stakeholders in Marquette to increase community resilience through incorporating climate variability and change adaption strategies into local land use master plans and policies. Key stakeholders in the agriculture, forestry, natural resources, health, planning, and tourism fields participated in the development of climate change concerns and strategies. Overwhelmingly, residents and local leaders wanted to protect the natural environment that makes Marquette such a desirable place to live. This report details the process and results of this community-driven process, and also contains specific, detailed GIS maps of the region that reflect the climate vulnerabilities and concerns of the residents and leaders in the Marquette region.

NOTE: This report inspired the creation of another report: "Climate and Health Adaptation Planning Guide for Michigan Communities"

The Michigan Climate Action Council (MCAC) was created on November 14, 2007, by Governor Jennifer Granholm. Governor Granholm charged the MCAC with producing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast, developing this comprehensive Climate Action Plan with recommended greenhouse gas reduction goals and potential actions to mitigate climate change in various sectors of the economy, and advising state and local governments on measures to address climate change.

The Global Warming Task Force was created by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle in April 2007. The Task Force created this report, which contains its policy recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Wisconsin, as well as its short- and long-term goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

In 2006, Illinois Governor Blagojevich launched the state's Global Warming Initiative by executive order that created the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group. The group's purpose was to recommend state-level strategies to meet Illinois’ greenhouse gas reduction goals, which are similar to those set by other states and those proposed in Congress: 1990 levels by 2000, and 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. This document is the Advisory Group's report submitted to the governor.