Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Planning in Wisconsin's Great Lakes Coastal Communities Angela Pierce Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission Green Bay, Wisconsin Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Outline Brief Overview of the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission (Bay-Lake RPC) Wisconsin’s Efforts towards Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Coastal Community Climate Change Planning Challenges, Goals and Objectives, and Needed Resources Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Wisconsin RPCs Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

590,000 people in the Region (2009 Estimate) Bay-Lake Region Lake Superior Wisconsin Lake Michigan 590,000 people in the Region (2009 Estimate) Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission Established in 1972 to Assist County and Local Government Resources Staff of 9 employees Annual Budget of approx. $1 million Eight Counties 185 Units of Government (including one Tribe) Areas of Work Local Planning Assistance Natural Resources/Hazard Mitigation Economic Development Transportation Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Florence Marinette Oconto Door Kewaunee Manitowoc Sheboygan Brown Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Wisconsin’s Efforts towards Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Mitigation = Energy Independent Communities Program (“25x25” Initiative) Effort to partner with communities to work toward Wisconsin’s goal of generating 25% of electricity and transportation fuels from renewable resources by 2025. Adaptation = Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) Network of scientists working to measure impacts and develop adaptation strategies. Status of Coastal Communities Climate Change Efforts in Wisconsin (Lake Superior vs. Lake Michigan) Challenges Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Goals and Objectives for Climate Change Planning for WI Coastal Communities Inform coastal communities about climate change and provide regional support for climate change planning. Objectives: Provide education to coastal communities about climate change. Inform local officials about the effects of climate change on municipal governments. Provide information about the benefits of reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Encourage and assist communities with planning for climate change. Incorporate climate policy into current planning efforts. Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Climate Change Planning for WI Coastal Communities Proposed Action: Work with a coastal community to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation goals, objectives, and an action plan to provide an example and template to further assist other coastal communities. Needs: Information about the anticipated climate change impacts to municipal government. Recommendations for specific climate change adaptation actions for Wisconsin’s coastal communities. Information about the economic benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Outreach assistance to inform local officials and citizens about the effects of climate change in Wisconsin and encourage action to mitigate and adapt. Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Suggested Publications: Kling, George W. et al. Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region. 2003. http://www.ucsusa.org/greatlakes/glchallengereport.html. Wittman, Stephen. Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Starting a Public Discussion. University of Wisconsin Sea Grant/University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. 2008. http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=552 Suggested Websites: Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI): http://www.wicci.wisc.edu/ Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence: http://power.wisconsin.gov/section.asp?linkid=1238&locid=131 Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009

Natural Resources Planner Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission Thank you. Angela Pierce Natural Resources Planner Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission Green Bay, Wisconsin apierce@baylakerpc.org (920) 448-2820 www.baylakerpc.org Sea Grant Climate Network Workshop - Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2009