Efforts have been underway for a number of years to consider the potential impacts of climate change on North Carolina. These reports summarize the research and provide recommendations to address this threat.
This report was developed by the North Carolina Interagency Leadership Team (ILT), a group of eleven state and federal agencies, to communicate to planners and engineers, working for the public and private sectors, about the potential effects and risks due to changes in climate and extreme weather events, as well as strategies for considering those effects and risks in planning, design and implementation of projects.The ILT agencies and their partners examined how multiple government agencies could consider potential climate- and weather-related impacts to their areas of responsibility, and developed a coordinated climate adaptation framework. The emphasis is on practical, economically feasible options that can be undertaken by state agencies, working with willing partners at local, regional and federal levels. These possible actions could be integrated into existing planning processes, priorities and standard operating procedures.
Session Law 2010-180 required state agencies to determine whether the impacts of global climate change are being considered in state regulatory and planning programs. Each agency considered the projected impacts of global climate variability and change, as well as recent extreme events, in this evaluation. This report includes responses for 77 planning and regulatory programs within the eight specified departments. Some of these programs reported that they currently consider global climate change impacts in their programs, while many others indicated that this could be considered in the future. This information is helpful for the departments to evaluate when and how certain programs might be modified to enhance the safety and resiliency of our residents to climate-related hazards.
Recognizing the profound implications that global warming and climate variation could have on the economy, environment, and quality of life in North Carolina, the Climate Action Plan Advisory Group (CAPAG) was established with the aim of developing proposals for dealing with global climate change in North Carolina. Its final report and recommendations were released at a public meeting on October 16, 2007, in Raleigh.
The Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change was established in S.L. 2005-442 to conduct an in-depth study of issues related to climate change. The LCGCC met 23 times from 2006 through 2010, and received presentations from a variety experts, which are linked to this report. The report includes actions taken, along with the Commission's findings, recommendations and legislative proposals.
The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission’s Science Panel on Coastal Hazards prepared a report, based on a review of the published literature, of the known state of sea level rise for North Carolina.
This 2010 report by Defenders of Wildlife provides a comprehensive, up-to-date review of climate change science, the potential vulnerability of wildlife and their habitats, and response options available through conservation planning.