Climate Change

Overview

The pages below are MRSC's primary resources on local climate-related considerations, challenges, actions, and tools.  

• Climate Action Plans — Covers the basic elements of a climate action plan, provides examples from Washington State, and shares resources related to climate planning. This a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with climate action planning. 
• Climate Impact Preparedness, Adaptation, and Resilience — Highlights example assessments, plans, and other resources to assist local governments to prepare for the impacts of climate change. 
• Equity and Engagement in Climate Response — Addresses community engagement as it pertains to planning and preparing for climate change by defining frontline communities, identifying best practices in engaging these communities, and offering additional resources for equitable engagement. 
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies for Local Governments — Provides resources and examples to assist local governments in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Interactive Map

• Local Government Climate Change Documents — Includes an interactive map and list of climate-related plans and studies from Washington State local governments, special purpose districts, and tribes.

Funding

• Climate Action Funding and Technical Resources — Provides general resources on climate change and sources of funding for climate-related programs and initiatives.

MRSC Blogs

• Recent Blogs About Climate Change — Blogs are written by MRSC staff and contributors.

On-Demand Webinars

• Developing a Local Climate Action Strategy: Approaches for Washington Local Governments (Download webinar materials)
• Equity and Inclusion in Climate Action Planning (Download webinar materials)
• Local Climate Response: Building Resiliency and Adapting to Impacts (Download webinar materials)

Reports

• Local Climate Response Project Survey Response Report — Includes results from a July 2021 survey distributed to local government staff seeking information on existing policies and plans related to three broad climate topic areas: (1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions; (2) engaging historically marginalized communities in climate planning efforts; and (3) adapting and becoming more resilient to climate effects.