Watch the 3rd webinar in the series: Wisconsin’s Changing Climate: Impacts & Adaptation Strategies
The March 2022 webinar featured experts from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI). Dr. Adam Bechel and Dr. Anna Haines will give an overview of the report WICCI just released and then share a summary of their contributions to it.
The Report:
Wisconsin’s Changing Climate: Impacts and Solutions for a Warmer Climate!
This latest report follows-up on the 2011 report, showcasing how the climate has continued to change over the past decade and how new data and insight is leading to adaptation, mitigation, and solutions. The report is the product of 14 working groups that include over 200 scientists, practitioners, and Wisconsin residents representing more than 50 national, state, and local agencies, non-profit organizations, and universities.
The assessment report includes details on the continued warming and increased rain and snow that has been seen throughout the state. Research shows that the statewide temperatures have increased about three degrees Fahrenheit since 1950, with the last two decades being the warmest on record. Rain and snow have also increased by nearly twenty percent during this same period, and the past decade was the wettest on record.
Additionally, the report showcases the ways in which climate change is impacting communities through several community member interviews from around the state.
Read the full press release here: WICCI releases assessment report, ten years in the making
About WICCI:
WICCI is a nationally recognized collaboration of scientists and stakeholders working together to help Wisconsin policymakers and citizens understand the impacts of climate change. The assessment report outlines the latest climate impacts and solutions for addressing them and mitigating the effects.
About the Presenters:
Adam Bechle is a coastal engineering specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant. In this role, Adam helps Great Lakes communities build resilience to coastal hazards like erosion, flooding, and water level impacts. Adam communicates the latest hazard research, develops outreach products on best management practices, and provides local governments guidance on planning and preparing for coastal hazards. Adam holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
Anna Haines is a professor in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a land use and community development specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Haines received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Her research and teaching focuses on planning and community development from a natural resources or environmental perspective. Currently, she is the chair of WICCI’s Community Sustainability Working Group.