CANCELLED - Climate change adaptation across the landscape: A survey of federal and state agencies, conservation organizations, and academic institutions in the United States

Background/Question/Methods Climate change is proceeding at a rate at which there will be unavoidable impacts to ecosystems and biodiversity.  Even with the most rigorous emissions reductions climate change adaptation measures will be necessary to allow biodiversity to persist under changing climate conditions.  To develop a clear definition of climate change adaptation, characterize the status of adaptation efforts across the country, and identify challenges to planning for and implementing adaptation we conducted 68 interviews of federal and state agency staff, non-governmental organization conservationists, and academic scientists involved in natural resource and wildlife management, climate change science and/or climate change adaptation. We asked these experts to define climate change adaptation, to discuss ongoing adaptation planning efforts, to provide us with examples of adaptation strategies, to list costs associated with these techniques, and to discuss the challenges to planning for and implementing adaptation strategies. 

Results/Conclusions Most participants defined climate change adaptation to encompass anticipating, preparing for, and responding to the expected impacts of climate change in order to promote ecological resilience in natural systems, and to allow these systems to respond to change. A majority of participants are involved in adaptation planning, revision of existing conservation and management plans and reprioritization of conservation and restoration efforts based on climate change projections. Few examples of specific adaptation strategies or costs associated with strategies are available at this time.  Participants identified several barriers to planning for and implementing adaptation strategies: a lack of resources and funding, the need for place-based adaptation strategies and case studies to guide planning efforts, and further development of adaptation tools, models and planning guidance.  Despite these challenges, the survey responses suggest that participants are making progress to plan and implement adaptation strategies, develop adaptation planning tools, and to help build capacity in state and federal agencies that do not currently have the resources to take on the challenge alone.  Results from the survey provide a snapshot of the early status of adaptation in the United States and may help to develop a national climate change adaptation strategy for natural resource management.