Keene Approves Climate Adaptation Action Plan

Keene, New Hampshire – With the City Council’s approval of a Climate Adaptation Action Plan, the city of Keene becomes one of the first in the country to actively and comprehensively address the potential impacts associated with climate change. The plan was approved by the city of Keene City Council on November 15th and was introduced last Thursday at a gathering of local governments from the Northeast committed to climate protection. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, a membership association of local governments advancing climate protection and sustainability, assisted Keene in developing the plan and hosted the regional event.

The full plan is available at: http://www.ci.keene.nh.us/planning/climatekeene.htm

“The city of Keene recognizes that planning for both mitigation and adaptation are complementary strategies to address the issue of global climate change,” said Mikaela Engert, city planner with the City of Keene. “In order for a community to really tackle climate change, you have to do both. Taking the next step to plan to increase resiliency in the face of expected climate change impacts will ultimately allow the city to save money, make better policy decisions, and create a sustainable community.”

From more frequent and severe flooding, to changes in annual snowfall amount, to the infestation of non-native plan and animal species, to the increase in total number of high heat index days and more numerous poor air quality days, Keene has come to recognize that these changes are ultimately impacting the community’s built, natural and social environments.

The Climate Adaptation Action Plan will aid Keene’s progress in enhancing its resiliency to the impacts associated with climate change as well as with its overall climate change planning efforts.

“We commend Keene for being one of the first cities to grasp the complementary nature of climate mitigation and adaptation,” said Kim Lundgren, ICLEI’s Northeast Regional Director. “For a community to ensure community health, quality of life, and economic stability in the face of climate change, it must determine how to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and plan ahead for impacts. Keene is a leader in this field.”

Keene has a long, steadfast history of climate protection. In April 2000, the City joined the Cities for Climate Protection campaign administered by ICLEI. The City has since developed a Local Action Climate Plan (2004) to identify ways in which the greater Keene community can assist in lowering greenhouse gas emissions. In 2006 the City became the first pilot city in ICLEI’s Climate Resilient Communities program which is designed to help cities prepare for and adapt to the impacts and costs associated with climate change.