Issue Paper

Climate Change Adaptation in Rural Natural Resource-Dependent Communities

Rural communities and landscapes in the United States need resources and assistance to increase their resilience to climate change. There is a lack of funding and capacity to plan, implement and monitor strategies that will help natural landscapes, human communities, and local economies adapt to the consequences of climate change.

Key Recommendations

Legislative recommendations:

1. Give the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) a key role in climate change policy and program implementation.
2. Ensure that climate change adaptation policy provides rural communities with financial and technical assistance.
3. Require and fund federal land management agencies to collaboratively develop, implement and monitor climate change plans and integrate them within resource management and forest management plans.
4. Support a collaborative approach for public agencies in climate change planning efforts.
5. Develop planning and management goals, outcomes and performance measures that land management agencies can use to monitor success in achieving specific outcomes.

Administrative Recommendations:

1. Support collaborative development, implementation and monitoring of climate change adaptation plans at a landscape level and integrate them within agency management plans.
2. Support efforts of rural communities to engage in climate change adaptation planning, implementation and monitoring.
3. Support a comprehensive approach to climate change adaptation planning.
4. Invest in research that examines the social and economic impacts of climate change on rural, natural resource dependent communities.

 
To learn more read the 2010 Climate Change Adaptation Paper.
Also read the 2009 Climate Change Issue Paper.

Policy Training

The Climate Change Working Group hosted a policy training in Portland, Oregon on February 19, 2009.  Learn more and view meeting materials.

Working Group

The Climate Change working group places particular emphasis on the impacts and opportunities of climate change on low-income and vulnerable rural populations.  It seeks federal forest management that incorporates climate change and fosters resilient communities and landscapes in the wake these transformations.  The group focuses on developing adaptation and mitigation strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage carbon sequestration through carbon-offset markets and incentive programs, and promote green jobs related to climate change.

Chairs: Gerry Gray, American Forests; Cullen Brady, Sustainable Northwest; Kathy Lynn, University of Oregon

To learn more read the 2010 draft climate change plank.

For up-to-date information on climate change policy, contact information for policy shapers, and clear information on climate issues important to rural communities view the Rural Climate Change Policy website.