Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
The climate crisis is here.
We are facing increased precipitation and flooding. Seasons are out of whack; they ebb and flow as we simultaneously set temperature records each month.
The headlines bombard us every week, warning of more of the same. The climate change crisis has invoked fear, panic and anxiety about what the future holds. And for some, those emotions are a result not of the future, but what has become the new normal (e.g. flooding).
At 1000 Friends of Wisconsin we acknowledge the climate crisis, but also see opportunity for Wisconsinites.
Those already affected can become leaders, ensuring others don’t face the same disasters. There is opportunity for change and opportunity for leaders to emerge across the state – individuals and communities of all sizes. 1000 Friends is prepared to help.
Land use planning policies and activities have the power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a community scale across the state of Wisconsin.
The way we design our communities influences how Wisconsin pushes back against the climate crisis and how our state prepares for inevitable changes that communities are already experiencing.
Wisconsin cities and counties have passed resolutions committing to some form of net-zero carbon emissions or 100% renewable energy production. By meeting these goals, Wisconsin communities can become global leaders in climate change planning and resilience efforts.
Below are climate crisis problems and potential solutions involving a variety of land use sectors.
Not every suggested activity or solution will fit your community’s plan or their culture, but they are meant to provide guidance and serve as a model for resilience and mitigation.
Transportation and Climate Change
We are at the forefront of fighting for an equitable carbon-neutral transportation future. We offer guidance, research and policy solutions to help mitigate climate change. Learn more about our transportation work.
Natural Resources Protection and Climate Change
With a higher frequency of intense precipitation events it is imperative that we do our best to protect our waterways at a watershed level. Green infrastructure strategies can help reduce the burden of increased precipitation that many Wisconsin communities are already dealing with.
1000 Friends partnered with community members throughout Wisconsin to implement green infrastructure solutions with emphases on watershed protection, community involvement and environmental education. Learn more.
Land Use Planning and the Climate
When discussing climate change mitigation strategies, the focus tends to be on energy – i.e. switching to renewables. An important area that is often overlooked is urban and regional land use planning.
How communities are designed and how people move around them has both short and long-term consequences for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
1000 Friends is advocating for dense, compact, and mixed-use communities; providing policy solutions that allow people to move around without driving; and encouraging zoning that allows for solar and energy efficient buildings and green instead of gray infrastructure – all in support of lower carbon future. Learn more.
Read our Climate Change News.
Read Climate Crisis by Deb Nemeth.