Preparing for a Changing Climate

Coastal residents and towns need strategies to prepare for and adapt to climate change and its effects on sea-level rise, shoreline erosion, marine and coastal resources, and coastal flooding.  Ocean acidification, extreme weather, increasing ocean water temperatures, and other climate-related changes in coastal ecosystems threaten Maine’s valuable wild and culture fisheries, marine heritage, and cultural identity of many coastal communities.

One of the biggest challenges communities, individuals, and businesses face in a changing climate is applying global-scale information and data to the local environment. To address these challenges, Maine Sea Grant works with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to generate and interpret meaningful local-scale data, mitigate and prepare for the local impacts of climate change, and prevent or minimize damage from extreme rainstorm events. Sea Grant research investments help communities understand and predict climate-related impacts on Maine’s coastal and marine ecosystems, and we provide leadership, coordination, and community engagement support for related science, management, and education initiatives.

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Recent Activities

• Maine’s Climate Change Adaptation Providers Network
• Preparing for a Changing Climate: The State of Adaptation Planning in Maine’s Coastal Communities
  Article in Maine Policy Review, Volume 28, Issue 2
• Maine Ocean and Coastal Acidification Partnership
• Maine’s Climate Future
• Coastal Flooding and Erosion from Severe Storms in a Changing Climate
• Understanding Potential Effects of Ocean Acidification