What Will the Assessment Include?
What Specifically Will the Assessment Include?
This assessment will update the 2014 New York State climate projections effort (ClimAID) by incorporating and reflecting the latest data, models, and scientific understanding of climate change. It will also incorporate input from more stakeholders and decision-makers so that its information is relevant, topical, and accessible to the full range of New York’s diverse communities and interests.
Specifically, the assessment will include:
- Up-to-date projections of future climate conditions in New York State
- Sector-based literature reviews
- In-depth economic impact assessments
- A peer-reviewed technical report that conveys scientific findings
- Summaries and syntheses for a wider audience
- Adaptation strategies and case studies
- Links and references to primary sources for full transparency
Topics
The assessment will focus on climate change impacts across eight sectors and investigate a range of research topics.
Agriculture
Example Research Topics:
- Growing seasons/winter chill
- Crop yields
- Livestock health
- Dairy productivity
- Soil health
- Food security—distribution and use
- Gardening and urban agriculture
Buildings
Example Research Topics:
- Building envelope and systems
- Building materials and resilient design
- Housing, schools, other specific building types of concern
- Flooding impacts (inland, coastal)
- Property loss/insurance costs
Ecosystems
Example Research Topics:
- Species distribution, biodiversity, and invasives
- Forest health/management, productivity, and disturbances (wildfire, insects, disease)
- Iconic ecosystems and products (e.g., maple syrup)
- Great Lakes and other fresh surface waters (e.g., temperature, lake levels, water and habitat quality)
- Marine/estuarine waters (e.g., temperature, acidification, other physical parameters; water and habitat quality)
Energy
Example Research Topics:
- Energy generation (e.g., electricity, natural gas, oil, and renewables)
- Energy delivery (e.g., infrastructure, power outages)
- Energy demand, peaks
- Telecommunications systems
Human Health and Safety
Example Research Topics:
- Heat-related concerns (e.g., heat-related illnesses, urban heat islands)
- Waterborne, foodborne, and vector-born disease
- Air quality (e.g., pollutants, aeroallergens)
- Mental health
- Public and private health systems
- Impacts on crime, violence, and civil unrest
Society and Economy
Example Research Topics:
- Finance and investment
- Employment
- Labor productivity
- Impacts on specific industries (e.g., winter recreation, coastal tourism)
- Emergency preparedness, disaster relief aid
- Trade and supply chain disruptions
- Migration and social change (e.g., crime, climigration)
- Just transition
Transportation
Example Research Topics:
- Transportation infrastructure
- Various climate impacts (e.g., flooding, storms, heat)
- Inter-and intra-city transportation
- Mass transit
- Boat transportation (e.g., shipping, canals)
- Ports and airports
- Mobility
Water Resources
Example Research Topics:
- Water supply
- Water demand
- Water quality
- Water supply and wastewater infrastructure (including septic systems)
Crosscutting Perspectives
In addition to these sector topics, the assessment will address several cross-cutting perspectives of significant interest: equity and underserved communities, municipal government concerns, marine coastal zones, and the Great Lakes. These perspectives will not have distinct workgroups. Instead, they will be embedded in each technical workgroup to ensure that they are incorporated. In addition, the assessment will generate non-technical informational materials focused on these perspectives and informed by technical workgroup findings.