Explore by Hazard

The assessment describes a wide range of impacts, but many can be traced back to the same core set of physical “hazards.” These climate variables include rising temperatures; changing precipitation patterns; extreme heat, storms, and drought; and rising sea level, among others. Sometimes, two or more of these hazards can intersect to produce additional impacts, such as when stronger storms and sea level rise combine to create more destructive storm surge.

The interactive table on this page summarizes impacts from all eight assessment sectors and ties them back to the climate hazards that contribute to them. It also identifies examples of adaptation strategies mentioned in the assessment. Although not an exhaustive list of either impacts or adaptation strategies, the table provides extensive information from the assessment chapters in an interactive format. Select any column heading to sort the table, or use the options above the table to search for keywords or filter by sector or hazard. Many impacts listed could reasonably appear under multiple sectors; in this table, they are listed according to the sector chapter in which they are discussed the most.

Sector	Climate hazard	Consequences without adaptation	Example adaptation strategies	hf:categories	hf:tags
Society and Economy	Rising temperatures	Changes to tourism and outdoor recreation: Climate change may affect the timing and availability of seasonal recreational activities such as skiing, boating, and leaf-peeping. All these activities play critical roles in the local economies of outdoor tourism–oriented areas of the state. Warmer summers and longer spring and fall shoulder seasons may increase participation in and the numbers of days available for many types of warm-weather outdoor recreational activities. Warmer fall and spring temperatures could also extend the summer boating season in the Great Lakes, the Adirondacks, Long Island, and other regions. Increasing frequency of harmful algal blooms in lakes and tidal areas may impact water-related recreational activities. Warming waters can impact fishing destinations as they adversely affect trout and other freshwater fish that require relatively cold water temperatures.	Adjusting outdoor recreation offerings can help offset climate related impacts. For example, to offset expected reductions in snow-related tourism due to changing winter conditions, the Adirondacks region is taking steps to position itself as a biking destination, including through the offseason use of ski facilities and other winter sports infrastructure for activities such as mountain biking and bicycle touring.	society-and-economy	01_rising-temperatures
Society and Economy	Sea level rise	Changes to tourism and outdoor recreation: Beach erosion due to sea level rise along the Atlantic Coast could offset the positive impacts of warmer temperatures on waterfront activities.	Initiatives that encourage communities to define the greatest local climate threats and adaptation strategies can help them prepare for anticipated sea level rise.	society-and-economy	07_sea-level-rise
Society and Economy	Rising temperatures	Impacts on wood-related industries: Climate change exacerbates several factors affecting forest quality and forest regeneration. Warmer winter temperatures and decreased snow cover are favorable to invasive species and other insect pests that are already devastating hemlock, ash, and other tree species. Currently, deer and invasive plant species are impeding the normal regeneration of forests—a situation likely to worsen as these species are expected to thrive in a changing climate. Earlier snowmelt in the spring and longer growing seasons combined with warmer temperatures may lead to more frequent moisture stress during the growing season, which can be particularly harmful to younger trees.		society-and-economy	01_rising-temperatures
Society and Economy	Precipitation changes	Impacts on wood-related industries: Changing precipitation patterns may exacerbate stress on young trees, especially if summers feature heavy rain events with relatively dry periods in between. Slowed growth can reduce forest productivity.		society-and-economy	03_precipitation-changes
Society and Economy	Ocean acidification	Impacts on marine fisheries and the seafood industry: Ocean acidification impacts the shellfish aquaculture industry by reducing growth rates and size of shells. Overall survival rates of shellfish are also impacted by rising temperatures.	Apply sediment amendments such as crushed carbonate shells. Diversify products and business models, such as by using an integrated approach to aquaculture production to buffer the impacts of ocean acidification.	society-and-economy	08_ocean-acidification
Society and Economy	Sea level rise Extreme weather	Impacts on marine fisheries and the seafood industry: Seaside operations and infrastructure are particularly vulnerable to wind, waves, and surging seas brought on by storms and by sea level rise. Seaside infrastructure that could sustain damage includes docks, buildings, refrigeration and ice-making equipment, other processing equipment, hatcheries, and roads. Businesses can also suffer damage to or loss of gear and vessels. Lost days at sea and harvest area closures add to the potential for economic stress.		society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather 07_sea-level-rise
Society and Economy	Rising temperatures	Impacts on marine fisheries and the seafood industry: High air and water temperatures can harm productivity and raise food safety concerns due to increases in foodborne pathogens. Exposure to extreme heat can also affect worker safety.		society-and-economy	01_rising-temperatures
Society and Economy	Extreme precipitation	Impacts on marine fisheries and the seafood industry: Heavy rainfall events, which have already become more common in the Northeast, can harm marine shellfish aquaculture by introducing pollutants, excess nutrients, and other contaminants from surface runoff and stormwater. Harvest operations are shut down following heavy rainfall events and only reopened once water quality improves. Heavy rainfall can cause fluctuations in seawater salinity, which has impacts on shellfish in earlier life stages.		society-and-economy	04_extreme-precipitation
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Impacts on financial and insurance industries: Climate-related natural disasters may cause losses associated with business disruption and destruction of buildings and equipment, leading to an increase in disaster recovery costs and a reduction in revenue, potentially incentivizing business migration. In some regions of New York State, this may lead to lower property values, lower household and community wealth, and lower corporate profitability, translating into financial and credit market losses.	Climate stress tests have been developed in academic literature to translate climate scenarios into adjustments in financial valuation of securities and contracts, and into investors’ risk metrics and financial losses. Similarly, actuarial models to determine insurance reserves in the face of climate risk uncertainty can be adjusted. Proposed rulemaking from the Securities and Exchange Commission on climate disclosures could create the space to assess these risks neutrally as part of standard prudent investment and portfolio management. This could also have a long-term impact on housing and real estate development.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Rising insurance premiums: Extreme weather poses risks for the built environment that can be reflected in rising insurance premiums. Strong winds, wildfires, hailstorms, and lightning are considered the top climate-related causes for material losses in renewable energy projects.		society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Impacts on financial resilience at the household and community level: As the frequency of extreme climate events continues to increase, highly exposed communities could experience significant property and infrastructure losses, which could result in reduced access to credit and an increase in the cost of home and personal insurance. There is the possibility that insurers could decide to decline coverage altogether in some areas considered high-risk for climate-related events. Such a decision would directly affect valuations and tax structures in these communities.	Programs such as the Residential Technical Assistance Pilot Program, an effort to provide seven storm-impacted communities in New York City with technical assistance on residential property resilience, can help prepare communities for change. Making additional information available, such as the FloodHelpNY online platform, which informs homeowners in New York City about their flood risks, what they can do to protect their homes, and how they can protect their finances from flood damages, can also help make communities more resilient.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Extreme precipitation Extreme temperatures	Impacts on schools: Schools located in flood-prone inland regions may be threatened by increased flooding associated with more extreme storms. More severe snowstorms can also pose a hazard, especially in parts of the Great Lakes region, the Adirondacks, and the Southern Tier that already experience lake-effect snow or high-volume winter snowstorms. Schools may also incur costs associated with increasing the resilience of school buildings to all types of climate hazards, including floods, heavier snow loads, and extreme rainfall and heat.	Many colleges in the state have developed climate preparedness plans that include actions such as moving sensitive equipment out of flood-prone basements, installing backup generators, adding air conditioning in dorms, and developing emergency warning systems. Such plans can help ensure safety of students, faculty, and staff and can also reduce climate-related loss and damages. Environmental reviews may also be used to limit future development in floodplains.	society-and-economy	02_extreme-temperatures 04_extreme-precipitation
Society and Economy	Sea level rise Extreme weather	Impacts on schools: Flooding associated with coastal storms and high tides, both of which are exacerbated by sea level rise, is a direct threat to schools located in coastal zones around New York City and Long Island. Costs associated with school insurance may also increase in the future as damage due to climate hazards accumulates.	Many colleges in the state have developed climate preparedness plans that include actions such as moving sensitive equipment out of flood-prone basements, installing backup generators, adding air conditioning in dorms, and developing emergency warning systems. Such plans can help ensure safety of students, faculty, and staff and can also reduce climate-related loss and damages. Environmental reviews may be used to limit future development in floodplains.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather 07_sea-level-rise
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Impacts on student mental health: In addition to its impacts on physical health, climate change is also affecting students’ mental health. Exposure to severe storm events, flooding, and other climate extremes has been found to have a direct effect on student mental health.	The Wild Center, a natural history center in Tupper Lake, New York, holds an annual Youth Climate Summit to convene and empower young people to implement climate action plans in their schools and communities. These types of activities can improve resilience among student groups.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Rising temperatures	Impacts on schools: Higher temperatures and humidity because of climate change may lead to problems with indoor environmental quality in schools—or exacerbate existing problems. Many schools throughout New York State are already experiencing a range of indoor environmental concerns, including visible mold and high levels of heat and humidity due to lack of air conditioning and poor ventilation. These conditions have been shown to contribute to higher rates of student absenteeism in the state. Hotter school days have also been found to inhibit student learning, with especially large impacts on students of color. Hotter school days may necessitate installation of costly air conditioning systems, which would lead to higher energy usage and costs. While warmer winters may lead to reduced costs for winter heating, these savings may not offset the costs of installing and paying for increased cooling.	Installing air conditioning in schools can address concerns about high heat and humidity.	society-and-economy	01_rising-temperatures
Society and Economy	Sea level rise	Damage to museums, art centers, and historic sites: Many of the institutions and historic sites that commemorate and interpret New York State’s history are vulnerable to flooding. Examples of endangered historic sites include the Montauk Lighthouse on Long Island and the Statue of Liberty, both vulnerable to coastal erosion. Coastal archaeological sites are also vulnerable to coastal erosion and could be lost entirely.	Many of New York State’s historical and arts organizations rely on state and regional networks for information sharing, training, and grant funding. The Museum Association of New York and the New York State Council for the Arts are particularly important to smaller institutions, which often have few professional staff members or resources. There is an opportunity for these organizations to use their training capacity, networks, and funding powers to play a larger role in helping small cultural institutions statewide prepare for and adapt to climate change through information sharing and collaboration.	society-and-economy	07_sea-level-rise
Society and Economy	Extreme temperatures	Damage to museums, art centers, and historic sites: Excessive or prolonged humidity can damage collections, and rapid changes in humidity and temperature are both harmful to collections as well. All cultural institutions depend heavily on income from visits, performances, and programs. If they close because of damage or uninhabitable conditions, they lose essential revenue. In the longer term, higher temperatures will increase the load on, and the cost of, climate control in museums, which is essential to maintaining collections.	Many of New York State’s historical and arts organizations rely on state and regional networks for information sharing, training, and grant funding. The Museum Association of New York and the New York State Council for the Arts are particularly important to smaller institutions, which often have few professional staff members or resources. There is an opportunity for these organizations to use their training capacity, networks, and funding powers to play a larger role in helping small cultural institutions statewide prepare for and adapt to climate change through information sharing and collaboration.	society-and-economy	02_extreme-temperatures
Society and Economy	Sea level rise	Economic weakening, higher maintenance costs, and lost tax revenue: These are credit risks for state and local governments in the face of rising sea levels and greater risk of frequent flooding in coastal counties.	As one adaptation measure, local governments and authorities issuing bonds have had to adopt new climate risk disclosure standards to ensure a more accurate risk assessment.	society-and-economy	07_sea-level-rise
Society and Economy	Extreme temperatures Extreme weather	Impacts on undocumented and unhoused individuals: Undocumented immigrants are more likely to be engaged in natural resource, construction, or maintenance occupations, where exposure to heat and cold is common. Such workers have few legal protections and may not feel able to raise concerns about unsafe working conditions. Many unhoused individuals have significant underlying health problems, and a lack of safe and secure housing exacerbates exposure to climate hazards and shocks, including heat waves and periods of extreme cold. LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly LGBTQ+ youth, are more likely to be unhoused than other groups.	New York State created an Excluded Workers Fund to help meet basic needs of undocumented New Yorkers who would otherwise have been shut out from receiving emergency federal cash assistance. New York State’s Office of New Americans helps immigrant populations access information and promotes transparency about their rights to government resources. Increasing the supply of permanent affordable housing in New York State and improving options for households displaced by extreme storm events, especially low-income and vulnerable populations, will help improve resilience.	society-and-economy	02_extreme-temperatures 06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Impacts on small businesses: Following disaster events, small businesses and minority-owned businesses have been found to be less likely to re-open than larger businesses. One study of the impacts of Superstorm Sandy found that business closures were concentrated among small, stand-alone establishments. Disruptions to the functioning of small businesses not only lead to loss of income but can have cascading impacts on the local community, including key food sources in local communities. Business closures also contribute to income and job losses.	The New York City Department of Small Business Services runs a Business Preparedness and Resiliency Program designed to help small businesses prepare for emergencies and enhance the resilience of their operations, assets, and physical spaces.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Society and Economy	Extreme precipitation	Impacts on outdoor workers, immigrants, and unhoused individuals: Climate change is a health threat to outdoor workers in all sectors, including bike delivery workers, construction and utility service workers, and agricultural workers, as well as public service workers such as police, firefighters, and emergency responders. All experience direct exposure to extreme weather events such as extreme precipitation. New immigrant populations may face increased threats from flooding due to lack of knowledge about the locations of local flood risks, particularly among those living in rental housing. Housing discrimination against immigrants, and difficulty obtaining legal housing for undocumented individuals, may also increase the likelihood that immigrants will live in flood-exposed or otherwise unsafe housing. Of the 13 victims who drowned in New York City due to the extreme rainfall from Hurricane Ida in September 2021, 11 were immigrants living in illegal basement apartments. Many unhoused individuals have significant underlying health problems, and a lack of safe and secure housing significantly exacerbates exposure to climate hazards and shocks, including heavy rainfall and snow events, and flooding.	Increasing the supply of permanent affordable housing in New York State and improving options for households displaced by extreme storm events, especially low-income and vulnerable populations, will help improve resilience.	society-and-economy	04_extreme-precipitation
Human Health and Safety	Sea level rise	Disruption of services: Risks of service interruption and long-term failure increase where lifeline infrastructure is in areas exposed to sea level rise and storm surge.	Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Investments in both green and gray infrastructure can save money in the long term and reduce damage from future climate events. This could involve revitalizing aging gray infrastructure to better accommodate increases in flow or implementing green infrastructure projects like living shorelines, which help buffer communities from rising sea level.	human-health-and-safety	07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation Sea level rise	Drowning: Drowning is the most common cause of death from flooding nationwide. As recently as 2021, 13 people in New York City and five more people in the rest of New York State drowned due to flooding associated with Hurricane Ida. Basement apartments can flood during cloudburst events, displacing people already living in vulnerable situations.	Improve flood warning systems to help communities understand available resources and act swiftly. Increase and improve access to evacuation shelters. Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Improve flood risk management by helping community members reduce flood-related health risks at home, relocating households from basement and ground floor units (recognizing the challenge given availability and affordability of housing alternatives), or relocating from properties altogether. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments. Decommission assets located in zones threatened by sea level rise. Increase public awareness of expected sea level rise impacts. Communities can benefit from understanding near-term impacts of sea level rise as they plan for the long term.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation 07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation Sea level rise	Electrocution and other injuries: Flooding is linked to electrocution and other injuries. An investigation of 52 injury deaths in New York City related to Superstorm Sandy identified incidents of unintentional injury related to flooding, including electrocution, transportation-related harms, cuts and piercing, poisoning, suffocation, falls, burns from fires, hypothermia, and carbon monoxide poisoning.	Improve flood warning systems to help communities understand available resources and act swiftly. Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Improvements to water treatment and wastewater collection and treatment systems could reduce illness. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments. Improve flood risk management by helping community members reduce flood-related health risks at home, relocating households from basement and ground floor units (recognizing the challenge given availability and affordability of housing alternatives), or relocating from properties altogether.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation 07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation Sea level rise	Hazardous substances and toxic chemical exposures: Extreme precipitation and storm surge can lead to flooding that carries toxic materials into the environment and nearby communities from hazardous waste sites. Floods carrying toxic materials frequently affect vulnerable communities, many of which are located near contaminated sites.	Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Improvements to water treatment and wastewater collection and treatment systems could reduce illness. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments. Improve flood risk management by helping community members reduce flood-related health risks at home, relocating households from basement and ground floor units (recognizing the challenge given availability and affordability of housing alternatives), or relocating from properties altogether.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation 07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation	Foodborne illnesses: Runoff (e.g., from industrial and agricultural sources and combined sewer overflows) can carry pollutants into local water bodies and contaminate seafood.	Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Foodborne illnesses: Higher temperatures can increase the prevalence and spread of pathogens in produce and meat or fish products, which may increase incidences of gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus and hepatitis A. Higher surface water temperatures create more suitable environments for harmful algal blooms and other microbes that can contaminate shellfish, kill fish, and cause illness in people and pets who eat contaminated seafood or become exposed during recreational swimming.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience by communicating about health-protective behavior changes.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Extreme temperatures	Increases in heat-related deaths: Heat is responsible for more deaths than any other extreme-related event, and this number is projected to increase with rising temperatures.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience through tools for personal heat monitoring, extreme heat event warnings, and communication of health-protective behavior change. Improve access to, operation of, and training for cooling centers and other emergency resources. Modify working hours for both indoor and outdoor workers. Modify outdoor and indoor environments to help moderate heat. Modifications to the outdoor physical environment include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to combat the urban heat island effect. Modify indoor environments through improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures. Implement guidelines for heat warning thresholds and appropriate temperature ranges for sports contests and practices.	human-health-and-safety	02_extreme-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Kidney damage: Heat stress occurs when hot conditions exceed the human body’s cooling ability and a person cannot maintain a steady temperature. Heat stress can trigger responses that result in kidney damage or failure. Outdoor workers and athletes face particular risk.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for climate change impacts. Improve resilience through tools for personal heat monitoring. Improve access to, operation of, and training for cooling centers and other emergency resources. Modify working hours for both indoor and outdoor workers. Modify outdoor and indoor environments to help moderate heat. Modifications to the outdoor physical environment include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to combat the urban heat island effect. Modify indoor environments through improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures. Implement guidelines for heat warning thresholds and appropriate temperature ranges for sports contests and practices.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Extreme temperatures	Medication efficacy and sensitivity impacts: Certain medications (including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, beta blockers, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers) can interfere with body temperature regulation. This is a particular concern for older adults. People who take antipsychotic medications are at particular risk of heat stroke and a life-threatening reaction called neuroleptic malignant syndrome during periods of extreme heat.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience through personal heat monitoring, extreme heat event warnings, and communication of health-protective behavior change. Improve access to, operation of, and training for cooling centers and other emergency resources. Modify working hours for both indoor and outdoor workers. Modify outdoor and indoor environments to help moderate heat. Modifications to the outdoor physical environment include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to combat the urban heat island effect. Modify indoor environments through improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures. Implement guidelines for heat warning thresholds and appropriate temperature ranges for sports contests and practices.	human-health-and-safety	02_extreme-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation	Limited access to health care and health resources: Flooding can create barriers to accessing health care, including transportation disruptions and power outages that disrupt elevator access and safe storage of medication.	Improve flood warning systems to help communities understand available resources and act swiftly. Improve coordination of essential resources between communities, health service providers, emergency responders, and shelter operators. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments. Improve flood risk management by helping community members reduce flood-related health risks at home, relocating households from basement and ground floor units (recognizing the challenge given availability and affordability of housing alternatives), or relocating from properties altogether.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation
Human Health and Safety	Extreme temperatures Extreme weather	Mental health: Impacts include medication and clinical management considerations, disaster-response aspects, and climate grief. These impacts occur after heat or extreme weather events, as well as indirectly after climate-related economic loss, threats to health and well-being, migration, and conflict. Heat can exacerbate pre-existing conditions and flooding can cause stress from short and long-term effects.	Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments and reduce the retention of incoming solar radiation and accumulation of heat. Such interventions also improve mental health by facilitating increased access to nature.	human-health-and-safety	02_extreme-temperatures 06_extreme-weather
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation	Mold exposures and respiratory illnesses: The increasing frequency of storms and heavy precipitation events, along with coastal flooding, affects the dampness of buildings and could increase the severity of mold exposure. Exposure to mold can trigger lower respiratory symptoms, including wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.	Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments. Improve flood risk management by helping community members reduce flood-related health risks at home, relocating households from basement and ground floor units (recognizing the challenge given availability and affordability of housing alternatives), or relocating from properties altogether.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation	Pathogen exposures and waterborne illnesses: Extreme precipitation events can generate floodwaters containing raw sewage, which can carry pathogens like bacteria and viruses. Ingestion of these can trigger an upset stomach, intestinal problems, headache, and flu-like discomfort. Sources of contamination also include older combined sewer systems common in New York and animal and human waste from affected wastewater treatment plants.	Modify infrastructure to help property owners reduce their exposure to future flooding through wet/dry floodproofing, more extensive home raising, and relocation of mechanical systems. Improvements to water treatment and wastewater collection and treatment systems could reduce illness. Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding in urban environments.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation
Human Health and Safety	Extreme temperatures	Physical activity: People are less likely to engage in physical activity when it is either very hot or very cold. Physical activity reduces the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and several cancers.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for climate change impacts. Improve resilience through personal heat monitoring. Modify working hours for both indoor and outdoor workers. Modify outdoor and indoor environments to help moderate heat. Modifications to the outdoor physical environment include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to combat the urban heat island effect. Modify indoor environments through improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures. Implement guidelines for heat warning thresholds and appropriate temperature ranges for sports contests and practices.	human-health-and-safety	02_extreme-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Sea level rise	Population displacement: Displacement via disasters or planned retreat is hugely disruptive. Impacts are uneven, as people with fewer resources could be less able to relocate. Additionally, certain communities (e.g., some Tribal communities) have strong familial ties to the land that could make them less inclined to relocate. Changing environmental and climate conditions trigger migration and displacement, which affects mental health and health care access and can increase vulnerability due to physical exposures and financial burdens.	Increase public awareness of expected sea level rise impacts. Improve coordination of essential resources between communities, health service providers, emergency responders, and shelter operators. Prioritize evaluating the exposure of critical infrastructure to sea level rise in concert with health departments, as this infrastructure affects public health services and population exposures. Communities can benefit from understanding near-term impacts of sea level rise on their locations as they plan for the long term. Moreover, health professionals can improve outcomes by developing coping strategies and planning for mid- and long-term transitions in coastal areas and inland flood-prone areas. Decommission assets located in zones threatened by sea level rise.	human-health-and-safety	07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Sea level rise	Soil and water salinity: People in low-lying coastal areas could face increased soil and water salinification, flooding risk, and local emergence of infectious diseases. For example, drinking water wells and septic systems are potentially at risk from rising saline water tables.	Long-term managed retreat from certain flood-prone areas is an important adaptation for chronic flooding from heavy precipitation or sea level rise.	human-health-and-safety	07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Seasonal drought	Respiratory illnesses: Hot and dry conditions can contribute to air quality impairments through mobilization of wind-blown dust particles. Wildfires are fueled by drought conditions, and wildfire smoke contains a variety of chemical and particulate components that aggravate cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, and pneumonia.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for climate change impacts and improve resilience.	human-health-and-safety	05_seasonal-drought
Human Health and Safety	Seasonal drought	Waterborne illnesses from water shortages: Water shortages from rain shortfalls or drought conditions increase competition for water needs, leading to shortages of drinking water and reduced drinking water quality. Prolonged droughts can also lead to increased saltwater intrusion and increase the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms.	Improve water treatment and wastewater collection and treatment systems to address water quality concerns.	human-health-and-safety	05_seasonal-drought
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Respiratory illnesses: Rising temperatures, combined with changes in humidity, wind speed, and mixing height, can have a negative impact on air quality. Higher ambient temperatures cause more ozone to form which can irritate the respiratory system, aggravate asthma, and damage the lungs and can lead to premature deaths, hospital visits, and lost school days.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience, including through communication of health-protective behavior changes.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Sleep loss: Several lines of evidence link higher temperatures with sleep disruptions; sleep is essential for both physical and mental health.	Improve access to, operation of, and training for cooling centers and other emergency resources. Modify outdoor and indoor environments to help moderate heat. Modifications to the outdoor physical environment include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to help modify urban heat island effect and reduce heat gain. Modifications to indoor environments include improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Waterborne diseases: Higher ocean and ambient air temperatures increase the availability and growth of pathogens, such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Vibrio, that cause waterborne disease outbreaks. High temperatures are also associated with increased outbreaks of diarrheal diseases with specific impacts on children.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience, including through communication of health-protective behavior changes.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Food safety and security: Indigenous communities and local baymen cultures that rely on subsistence harvesting are especially threatened by water quality issues due to warming waters.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts and improve resilience.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Rising temperatures	Airborne allergens and asthma: Climate change is expected to worsen allergy-related illnesses because allergenic pollen levels are affected by warmer weather, higher humidity, and heightened levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Changes in the timing, duration, and intensity of allergy seasons will affect indoor and outdoor air quality and exacerbate asthma and other allergic illness.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience, including through communication of health-protective behavior changes.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures
Human Health and Safety	Precipitation changes Rising temperatures	Vector-borne diseases: Precipitation can affect ticks and mosquitoes’ reproductive habits and increase their numbers, which can increase the risk of Lyme disease and West Nile virus, which are New York State’s most common tick- and mosquito-borne diseases, respectively. Increasing temperatures affect vector development and capacity (survival and reproduction rates); biting rates and replication of pathogens; and range and population of animal vector hosts such as deer, mice, birds.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience, including through communication of health-protective behavior changes.	human-health-and-safety	01_rising-temperatures 03_precipitation-changes
Human Health and Safety	Extreme precipitation	Food safety and security: Flooding can inundate crops, impair food storage, and disrupt distribution centers and food transport, which can affect livelihoods and food security across New York State.	Improve the resilience of the built environment through implementation of green infrastructure, urban park space, and porous pavement, which can lessen flooding that disrupts transportation in urban environments.	human-health-and-safety	04_extreme-precipitation
Energy	Rising temperatures Extreme temperatures	Energy delivery: An increase in ambient air temperature coupled with increased frequency and magnitude of heat waves will decrease the carrying capacity on overhead transmission and distribution lines during the summer, increase component failure rates, and limit maintenance or capital work due to workforce restrictions.	Planning for new energy transmission facilities and technologies should consider tolerance for increasing temperatures and heat waves. Increase development of distributed energy resources (e.g., rooftop solar) to reduce dependence on the grid.	energy	01_rising-temperatures 02_extreme-temperatures
Energy	Extreme precipitation	Energy delivery: Heavy precipitation in urban areas can flood electrical equipment manholes and cause outages. Heavy precipitation can also adversely affect natural gas supply systems, especially low-pressure distribution systems that deliver gas to residences and small commercial buildings. In addition, heavy precipitation and flooding can result in soil erosion, which can undermine pipeline systems and fuel tank foundations, making both more vulnerable to structural impacts.	Install flood protection systems, relocate assets away from floodways, build redundancies in the electrical and natural gas systems, stock spare components, and build or reinforce infrastructure to higher elevations.	energy	04_extreme-precipitation
Energy	Sea level rise	Energy delivery: Underground electricity and natural gas delivery infrastructure can be vulnerable to sea level rise, which can lead to outages from flooding and corrosion. Sea level rise and storm surge can also prevent access to damaged equipment, which can prolong outages.	Install flood protection systems for underground assets and install critical equipment at higher elevations.	energy	07_sea-level-rise
Energy	Rising temperatures	Energy demand: Temperature increases will have a direct impact on electricity demand due to increased demand for cooling. Increased cooling demand will increase the energy burden of those already experiencing energy and cost inequities.	Encourage implementation of energy-efficient technologies. Invest in energy assistance programs to support those facing cost challenges due to increased demand. Plant vegetation in urban heat islands to provide natural cooling and decrease energy demand during extreme heat events.	energy	01_rising-temperatures
Energy	Precipitation changes Extreme precipitation	Energy supply and generation: Fluctuations in precipitation affect river flows and water levels, which in turn can affect hydroelectric generation. Power plants, particularly those in low-lying areas, are vulnerable to heavy rain and flooding. Damage to liquid fuel infrastructure (e.g., storage tanks, electrical equipment, transport and delivery infrastructure) can also occur due to heavy precipitation and flooding.	Install flood protection systems, relocate assets away from floodways, build redundancies in electrical and natural gas systems, stock spare components, and build or reinforce infrastructure to higher elevations.	energy	03_precipitation-changes 04_extreme-precipitation
Energy	Sea level rise	Energy supply and generation: For energy supply facilities located on the coast, sea level rise may undermine system reliability as more frequent flooding of critical facilities can adversely impact routine operations. Storm surge, nuisance flooding, and long-term inundation can damage equipment and limit facility access, which can lead to prolonged energy supply disruptions. Much of New York’s fuel infrastructure is in coastal areas, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise.	Elevate critical equipment, construct flood barriers, install flood protection systems, and stock spare components. Wind turbine designers could incorporate higher elevations into future fixed-foundation plans in coastal areas to account for the anticipated rise in sea level. When floating foundation designs become technically and economically viable, they will provide another adaptation strategy.	energy	07_sea-level-rise
Energy	Rising temperatures	Energy supply and generation: Increasing temperatures can lead to a loss of electric generating efficiency in combustion-based, wind, and solar resources. It can also reduce the capacity, efficiency, and lifespan of battery storage technologies.	Adapt technologies to withstand warmer temperatures. Increase energy storage capacity.	energy	01_rising-temperatures
Agriculture	Rising temperatures	Crops: Rising temperatures and heat stress can cause changes in the morphology, physiology, and growing periods of crops, resulting in lower yields.	Shift planting dates to alleviate heat stress during critical growth periods.	agriculture	01_rising-temperatures
Energy	Extreme weather	Energy supply and generation: A long-duration wind lull or high-wind event (e.g., hurricane) could curtail a large amount of wind generation, as turbines can’t operate in very high or very low wind speeds. Wind turbines are also vulnerable to blade icing resulting from freezing precipitation, which is exacerbated when low wind and freezing precipitation occur simultaneously. High winds can damage photovoltaic (PV) panels as gusts cause material damage from debris and create a greater need for cleaning. Wind lulls are also problematic, as the flow of wind helps cool down PV circuits to maintain efficiency and capacity.	Install wind turbine design options such as passive and active aerodynamic “lift modification” devices that can support wind turbine operations during periods of extreme high winds and rapidly changing wind conditions. Wind turbine blade designs can be improved to handle a larger range of incoming wind angles. Use of hydrophobic coatings on wind turbine blades can help minimize the buildup of ice that would threaten operations. Install PV panels with safety ratings sufficient to withstand potential physical hazards.	energy	06_extreme-weather
Buildings	Extreme weather	Damage to buildings and support systems: Erosion, storm surge, flooding, high winds, heavy rain, and storm-related debris cause severe damage to buildings and communities. Severe storms such as hurricanes can severely compromise buildings and make them unsafe for occupation and use. Structures located in coastal zones, floodways, and designated flood areas face higher risk of damage.	Moisture can promote mold growth, which breaks down building materials. Windows must be designed and properly installed to prevent moisture and water from entering the building during and after severe storms, which can cause mold growth and lead to poor indoor air quality. Neighborhood flood protection helps communities prepare for the collective impacts of flooding events. It begins with understanding the community's current flood vulnerability. Using projected flood maps that better represent future flooding conditions can help communities in flood-prone areas better plan and prepare for future floods. Investments in both green and gray infrastructure can save money in the long term and reduce damage from future climate events. Gray infrastructure includes critical systems that provide sanitation and stormwater control for communities. Green infrastructure includes channeling stormwater into a basin or ditch designed to allow the water to seep into the ground and recharge groundwater supplies, or to slow its passage into storm drains during peak flow periods to avoid overwhelming stormwater systems.	buildings	06_extreme-weather
Buildings	Extreme precipitation	Damage to buildings and support systems: Riverine, or fluvial, flooding occurs when water overtops streams and river channels and spills into adjacent land and buildings, or due to dam failures and release of ice jams. Flood intensity and damages across the state are expected to increase with extreme rainfall and broader changes in streamflow. Urban, or pluvial, flooding occurs when rainfall and stormwater exceed the capacity of stormwater/sewer systems and back up into a city's built environment, potentially damaging surrounding infrastructure. In places with aging water infrastructure, like New York State, combined sewer systems cause chronic and predictable flood areas. Urban areas with a high percentage of impervious surfaces that limit underlying soils from absorbing water, as well as areas adjacent to valleys, are especially prone to flooding during heavy rainfall.	Moisture can promote mold growth, which breaks down building materials. Windows must be designed and properly installed to prevent moisture and water from entering the building during and after severe storms, which can cause mold growth and lead to poor indoor air quality. Neighborhood flood protection helps communities prepare for the collective impacts of flooding hazard events. It begins with understanding the community's current flood vulnerability. Using projected flood maps that better represent future flooding conditions can help communities in flood-prone areas better plan and prepare for future floods. Investments in both green and gray infrastructure can save money in the long term and reduce damage from future climate events. Gray infrastructure includes critical systems that provide sanitation and stormwater control for communities. Green infrastructure includes channeling stormwater into a basin or ditch designed to allow the water to seep into the ground and recharge groundwater supplies, or to slow its passage into storm drains during peak flow periods to avoid overwhelming stormwater systems.	buildings	04_extreme-precipitation
Buildings	Precipitation changes	Damage to buildings and support systems: While projected winter warming could reduce the likelihood of snow as precipitation increasingly falls as rain, increased building damage could occur from freeze-thaw and rain-on-snow events as temperatures hover around the freezing point, as well as from the projected near-term increase in lake-effect snow. Older buildings, poorly maintained buildings, buildings with insufficient insulation, structurally deficient buildings, and buildings with flat roofs will all face greater risk of damage.		buildings	03_precipitation-changes
Buildings	Rising temperatures	Energy availability: Heat waves can cause brownouts and blackouts. During power outages, residents can lose access to air conditioning, elevators, potable water, refrigeration, cooking appliances, and medical equipment.	Passive systems such as shading, insulation, and windows can protect occupants during a combined heat wave and power outage. Well-designed, energy-efficient buildings have lower associated emissions and provide greater comfort and indoor air quality. Redundant building systems ensure that critical building functions, such as electrical power, wastewater processing, and heating and cooling remain available if one system is compromised. Buildings can increase resilience by using backup generators or photovoltaic integrated hot water systems to maintain access to potable water. Energy can also be stored thermally (e.g., domestic hot water tanks) so it can still be accessed if a power failure occurs. Energy efficiency coupled with on-site renewable energy generation (e.g., solar) and energy storage can help protect building occupants and systems against grid power outages caused by climate events. Smart microgrids have a similar impact and the added benefit of potentially increasing the resilience of communities that generate their own power.	buildings	01_rising-temperatures
Buildings	Seasonal drought	Wildfire risk: Hotter and drier summer conditions and elevated “fire weather” could lead to an increase in the conditions that cause more frequent and larger wildfires—whether caused by humans or lightning strikes. Wildfires along the wildland-urban interface threaten buildings.	Neighborhood fire awareness and safety can help communities understand sensitivities to and impacts of wildfires, and provide information on how to act before and during wildfires and heatwaves. At the individual property level, fire-safe decisions can be made in landscape design and building maintenance. Design considerations of residential homes can be applied to roofs, walls, openings, decks, and exterior landscaping, such as installing sprinklers and trimming trees.	buildings	05_seasonal-drought
Ecosystems	Extreme weather	Ecosystem disturbances: Intense storms, droughts, and heat waves disturb ecosystems as they harm soil, vegetation, and wildlife populations.		ecosystems	06_extreme-weather
Buildings	Sea level rise	Damage to buildings and support systems: Changes in the distance to the ocean, the water table, and increased salinity could cause the failure of foundations and other support systems such as water and sewer systems.	Neighborhood flood protection helps communities prepare for the collective impacts of flooding. It begins with understanding the community's current flood vulnerability. Using projected flood maps that better represent future flooding conditions can help communities in flood-prone areas better plan and prepare for future floods. Investments in both green and gray infrastructure can save money in the long term and reduce damage from future climate events. This could involve revitalizing aging gray infrastructure to better accommodate increases in flow or implementing green infrastructure projects like living shorelines, which help buffer communities from rising sea level.	buildings	07_sea-level-rise
Buildings	Rising temperatures Extreme temperatures	Increased energy costs: Projected warming trends and more frequent extreme heat events may lead to higher utility bills because of the increased need for air conditioning.	Passive systems such as shading, insulation, and windows can protect occupants during a combined heat wave and power outage. Well-designed, energy-efficient buildings have lower associated emissions and provide greater comfort and indoor air quality.	buildings	01_rising-temperatures 02_extreme-temperatures
Energy	Extreme weather	Energy delivery: High winds from storms such as hurricanes and nor’easters can damage above-ground electricity transmission lines and utility poles, or cause transmission towers to buckle.	Design standards for transmission and distribution lines need to account for higher wind speeds during more severe storms. Vegetation management can help prevent fallen trees and debris from impacting transmission and distribution lines during storms.	energy	06_extreme-weather
Buildings	Sea level rise	Increased insurance and maintenance costs: Sea level rise and coastal flooding can affect the availability and cost of flood insurance as well as increase costs for water management infrastructure.	Neighborhood flood protection helps communities prepare for the collective impacts of flooding hazard events and begins with understanding the community's current flood vulnerability. Using projected flood maps that better represent future flooding conditions can help communities in flood prone areas better plan and prepare for future floods.	buildings	07_sea-level-rise
Human Health and Safety	Extreme temperatures	Cardiovascular illnesses: Extreme heat can lead to higher rates of cardiovascular disease-related emergency department visits. Those living with reduced cardiovascular function and pre-existing cardiovascular disease face a higher risk of illness and death.	Provide tools to help public health professionals and communities prepare for and communicate climate change impacts. Improve resilience through personal heat monitoring, extreme heat event warnings, and communication of health-protective behavior change. Improve access to, operation of, and training for cooling centers and other emergency resources. Modify working hours for both indoor and outdoor workers. Modify the outdoor environment to include improved and increased tree canopies, greenspaces, and green roofs to combat the urban heat island effect. Modify indoor environments through improved building codes for maximum indoor temperatures. Implement guidelines for heat warning thresholds and appropriate temperature ranges for sports contests and practices.	human-health-and-safety	02_extreme-temperatures
Buildings	Seasonal drought	Indoor air quality: Embers and smoke from wildfires can enter buildings through mechanical systems, windows, vents, or doors. Flaws in building design; failure of the building enclosure or envelope (e.g., roof, façade, foundation); or insufficient preventive maintenance of building envelopes, plumbing, and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can let poor-quality outdoor air into a building. Fire can partially or completely destroy buildings and raise the risk of smoke inhalation, burns, injury, and even death for building occupants. Displacement due to fire causes extreme emotional and financial hardship to affected individuals and communities.	Well-designed buildings; well-maintained building enclosure or envelope (e.g., roof, façade, foundation); and well-maintained plumbing and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can protect indoor air quality even when outdoor air quality is poor.	buildings	05_seasonal-drought
Society and Economy	Extreme weather	Increasing demands on services: Major winter storms and cold snaps can lead to increased demand for heat and electricity. Older adults are at particular risk, and there are relatively high concentrations of older adults in many areas that have the most frequent winter weather events.	Many New York communities with high concentrations of older adults are joining the AARP’s Age-Friendly Network as a way of preparing for more aging-in-place, strengthening social networks, and combating isolation—all important actions for enhancing resilience in these communities.	society-and-economy	06_extreme-weather
Water Resources	Seasonal drought	Water availability and demand: Public water systems that rely on reservoirs with lower storage-to-demand ratios could be susceptible to increased frequency of water shortages in the future. A decrease in groundwater recharge could result in the groundwater table dropping below well depths and wells going dry. This leads to greater competition for limited water resources that could deplete stream water or groundwater resources over time.	Conduct education and outreach to drive behavior change. Implement water conservation measures. Develop contingency plans for shortfalls in water supply. Assess opportunities for interconnections between water systems. Implement water reuse practices and technologies.	water-resources	05_seasonal-drought
Buildings	Rising temperatures Precipitation changes	Indoor insect or rodent pests: A hotter, wetter climate could be more conducive for rodent and insect pests to thrive. Rodents and pests such as termites can compromise building envelopes, systems, and foundation elements.	Improvements in design and preventive maintenance can help make buildings more resilient. Pests can gain access to buildings due to flaws in building design; failure of the building enclosure or envelope (e.g., roof, façade, foundation); or insufficient preventive maintenance of building envelopes.	buildings	01_rising-temperatures 03_precipitation-changes
Transportation	Extreme temperatures Extreme precipitation	Micromobility ridership: Heavy precipitation and extreme temperatures, especially extremely hot temperatures, decrease micromobility ridership.	Build covered paths for micromobility riders to protect them from extreme temperatures or extreme weather. Maintain stormwater management systems to prevent street flooding. Produce covered micromobility options, like enclosed bikes, to protect users from precipitation.	transportation	02_extreme-temperatures 04_extreme-precipitation
Buildings	Extreme temperatures	Indoor temperature hazards: Building architecture, design, orientation, materials, and ventilation can amplify indoor temperatures relative to outdoor temperatures during extreme heat events. With increasing frequency and duration of heat waves, high temperatures could exceed the designed capacity of compressor-based cooling systems or cause blackouts and brownouts. Buildings can provide a place of refuge from elevated temperatures, but people with lower income may be less likely to have access to or use air conditioning.	Passive systems such as shading, insulation, and windows can protect occupants during a combined heat wave and power outage.	buildings	02_extreme-temperatures
Buildings	Extreme precipitation Sea level rise	Mold exposures and respiratory illnesses: Flooding leaves moisture in indoor environments, which can lead to contaminants such as mold that can increase the prevalence of respiratory illnesses. Poor ventilation can exacerbate the problem. Humidity also affects the formation and release of contaminants into indoor air.	Well designed buildings; well maintained building enclosure or envelope (e.g., roof, façade, foundation); and well maintained plumbing and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can protect against moisture buildup and poor indoor air quality.	buildings	04_extreme-precipitation 07_sea-level-rise
Buildings	Rising temperatures Extreme temperatures	Strain on building systems: High temperatures can strain and damage building materials such as roofing. Heat causes thermal expansion of materials and can lead to internal stresses that can result in deformation.	Building designers and operators must consider climate change impacts, including sustained stresses, such as increased average temperatures, and shocks, such as extreme weather events.	buildings	01_rising-temperatures 02_extreme-temperatures
Buildings	Extreme weather	Indoor insect or rodent pests: Extreme weather can drive pests to seek shelter indoors, causing damage as they dig or chew their way in. Urban landscapes that have been abandoned after extreme weather events serve as homes and breeding grounds for rodents. Storm-downed trees and debris can provide shelter and food for rodent and insect pests.	Address flaws in building design. Pests can gain access to buildings due to flaws in building design; failure of the building enclosure or envelope (e.g., roof, façade, foundation); or insufficient preventive maintenance of building envelopes.	buildings	06_extreme-weather
Transportation	Extreme weather	Aviation: Extreme storms of all types can delay or cancel flights.		transportation	06_extreme-weather
Agriculture	Rising temperatures	Livestock: The incidence of vector-transmitted disease (disease transmitted through flies, mites, mosquitoes, etc.) may rise with increased temperatures.		agriculture	01_rising-temperatures
Transportation	Rising temperatures Extreme temperatures	Aviation: Extreme temperatures can cause asphalt runways to buckle or lift, causing flight delays. Hot air is less dense than cooler air, so aircraft lift capacity could be lowered. Higher air temperatures also impact jet stream winds, causing increased flight times going from east to west.	Lengthen runways or decrease allowable weights to account for decreased lift capacities in higher temperatures. Phase out older aircraft in favor of newer aircraft with stronger engines, in order to increase lift capacity.	transportation	01_rising-temperatures 02_extreme-temperatures
Agriculture	Extreme temperatures	Livestock: Livestock face a higher risk of heat stress with higher temperatures and when nighttime temperatures remain warm. Prolonged heat stress negatively affects cow comfort, reproduction, health, and milk production.	Provide additional natural or structural shade for animals; increase ventilation and air speed; supplement cooling through fans, cooled mats, or cold showers. Practice selective breeding for livestock varieties with increased heat tolerance. Adjust feed management and water intake. Consider using silvopasture or solar panel grazing for increased shade for grazing animals.	agriculture	02_extreme-temperatures
Transportation	Extreme weather	Maritime transportation: Extreme weather events can damage harbor and port infrastructure, vessels, and equipment. Harbors and ports may be shut down during and after extreme storms, delaying cargo and fuel deliveries.	Employ artificial intelligence and data analytics to optimize cargo and port arrangement, smart propulsion systems, and digital route management.	transportation	06_extreme-weather
Agriculture	Rising temperatures	Crops: Several types of fruit trees need a certain amount of cold and cool weather in winter (“chill hours”) to produce successfully the following year. Maple syrup production depends on freeze-thaw cycles. Climate change may reduce chill hours, shift the timing of maple sap collection, and alter the amount and sugar content of what is collected.	Plant new varieties of fruit, vegetable, and horticulture crops. Consider winter production in protected environments (high tunnels). For maple products, use management strategies to prevent reduced flow (e.g., vacuum pumps).	agriculture	01_rising-temperatures
Transportation	Sea level rise	Maritime transportation: Sea level rise can increase wave height in and around ports and harbors, which may create unsafe conditions for boat traffic. Tidal range may increase, which could cause port facilities to switch from roll-on/roll-off to lift-on/lift-off (i.e., use cranes instead of vehicles to unload cargo). Bridge clearance may decrease as sea levels rise.	Elevate terminals and piers, as well as critical electrical and mechanical equipment. Use flood-resistant materials and construct flood defense systems. Raise docks to accommodate higher sea levels. Increase bridge clearance to ensure vessels can pass under bridges.	transportation	07_sea-level-rise
Agriculture	Seasonal drought	Crops: Increasing short-term drought, especially during the summer months, can lead to a decrease in soil water availability for rainfed crops, increasing crop stress and disrupting overall function and growth. Sustained soil moisture deficits (drought) can lead to reduced crop yields and potentially major crop losses, depending on length and severity.	Increase irrigation for drought periods. Improve soil health through reduced tillage, planting cover crops, and using soil amendments to enhance moisture retention in soils during periods of drought. Develop breeding programs for crop varieties that are more heat-tolerant with improved drought resistance.	agriculture	05_seasonal-drought
Transportation	Rising temperatures Precipitation changes	Maritime transportation: High temperatures can increase evaporation and lower water levels in waterbodies such as the Great Lakes. Conversely, more precipitation regionally could raise water levels. The resulting increased variability in Great Lakes water levels could lead to some periods with lower levels, thus decreasing the draft clearance of shipping lanes and leading to shipping delays and cost increases. In rivers, barge shutdowns due to low water levels may occur.	Use harbor and channel dredging to increase the draft clearance of the shallowest parts of shipping lanes to counteract low water levels. Employ predictive technical advancements in maritime transportation, including the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics for cargo and port arrangement optimization, smart propulsion systems, and digital route management, to proactively respond to extreme storms, changes in precipitation patterns, and rising temperatures by altering shipping routes and docking arrangements.	transportation	01_rising-temperatures 03_precipitation-changes
Agriculture	Seasonal drought	Livestock: Lower available water resources during a drought may threaten water resources needed by livestock.	Small and mid-sized livestock producers can safeguard water resources for their livestock through rainwater collection, treatment, and storage.	agriculture	05_seasonal-drought
Transportation	Extreme temperatures	Passenger health: The health of public-transit passengers may be compromised during periods of extreme heat.	Use cooler pavements, which are made of materials with higher solar reflectance, at bus stops and along bus routes. Plant vegetation along transit routes and stations to reduce heat. Increase air conditioning capacity on buses, trains, and subway systems. Install misting systems and water fountains at mass transit stops and stations.	transportation	02_extreme-temperatures
Agriculture	Rising temperatures	Aquaculture: Higher water temperatures are affecting the reproductive behaviors of seaweeds and shellfish and leading to a decrease in populations in New York State waters.	Improve monitoring of species populations, disease, and ecosystem health. Use selective breeding to identify genetic strains that are more resilient to temperature variation. Transition to controlled-environment aquaculture, if feasible.	agriculture	01_rising-temperatures
Transportation	Extreme temperatures	Roadways, railways, bridges, and mass transit: Extreme heat can damage roads, as asphalt softens when exposed to high temperatures. Roadways and railways may buckle, creating unsafe conditions for car, bus, and train passengers. Thermal expansion of bridge joints, other steel components, and concrete can cause damage and even collapse. Fluctuations in daily temperature can reduce pavement life.	Design infrastructure and use materials that can withstand projected future climate conditions. Specific to railroads, pre-stress rails to prevent buckling due to thermal stress. Another option that has been considered is to paint tracks white or apply specialized coating to decrease solar gain and reduce the risk of buckling and thermal expansion.	transportation	02_extreme-temperatures
Agriculture	Extreme precipitation	Crops: A common cause of crop losses in the last decade has been from excessive moisture. Major storms that cause flooding in fields produce optimal conditions for many soilborne diseases to spread and decimate crops.	Invest in soil health practices—reduced or no tillage, plant cover crops, use soil amendments, practice double cropping. Use tile draining to cope with excess water. Shift production zones away from flood-prone areas. Create buffer zones around waterways to reduce erosion and runoff.	agriculture	04_extreme-precipitation
Transportation	Sea level rise	Aviation: Rising sea levels and associated flooding may inundate runways and airport facilities.	Elevate airfield pump systems to reduce the risk of flooding. Install flood barriers, construct flood-resistant buildings, and move or elevate critical equipment.	transportation	07_sea-level-rise
Agriculture	Rising temperatures	Crops: Apples and other crops in the state have experienced increasing damage from freeze events in recent years. As milder temperatures lead to earlier leaf emergence and bloom, crops will become more vulnerable to subsequent frost and freeze events.	Use techniques that minimize frost damage, including wind machines, over-the-row sprinklers, whole-orchard covering systems, and generating heat by burning oil in smudge pots. Air mixing methods, spun-bonded row covering, and overhead irrigation can also help protect against frost damage due to early season bud break.	agriculture	01_rising-temperatures
Transportation	Sea level rise	Roadways, railways, bridges, tunnels, and mass transit: Coastal roadways, railways, and subway systems are vulnerable to flooding as a result of sea level rise. Corrosion of train tracks and tunnels due to salt water intrusion may also occur. Ground saturation and increased soil moisture can also damage fixed infrastructure such as roads, bridges, runways, subways, tunnels, and rails.	Install flood barriers and seawalls to protect against coastal flooding. Elevate roads and railways above future projections of storm surge and sea level rise to keep them from flooding, even decades from now. Replace and rehabilitate outdated culverts to help prevent and slow the deterioration caused by increased flooding. Raise the height of bridges to continue to accommodate underpass by vessels in a future with higher sea level. Install new storm doors and drainage pumps in tunnels.	transportation	07_sea-level-rise
Agriculture	Extreme precipitation	Livestock: Increased precipitation can affect water quality due to increases in runoff contaminated with pollutants from excess fertilizers and with bacteria and nutrients from livestock farms.	Closely manage pasture. Alter design and/or location of animal housing, feed storage, and manure management structures to avoid flood damage. Improve manure management, including through increases in manure storage capacity and use of flood-resistant practices. Use manure management tools to time spreading based on weather forecasts. Adopt best management practices (e.g., erosion controls, riparian buffers) to protect water quality.	agriculture	04_extreme-precipitation
Transportation	Extreme weather	Roadways, railways, and mass transit: Extreme weather events, like Superstorm Sandy, can flood and damage roadways, railroads, subway systems, and tunnels. Events like these are expected to increase in the coming decades.	Create emergency funds for the repair of roadways, bridges, and tunnels following an extreme weather event to hasten repair efforts. Create transportation redundancy to protect against total loss of public transit services in the event of an extreme weather event. Install flood protection measures, like flood doors, reinforced elevators, and drainage pumps to protect critical infrastructure. Replace roadside culverts to increase their stormwater capacity and reduce flooding of roadways. Install porous pavement to reduce stormwater runoff from roadways.	transportation	06_extreme-weather
Agriculture	Sea level rise	Crops: As sea level rises, the risks of higher tides and storm surge, coastal flooding, and saltwater intrusion increase, which can harm crops on coastal farmland.	Move planting areas away from flood zones or coastal floodplains. Plant salt-tolerant crops (inherent or genetically improved). Establish salt-tolerant plant buffers between fields and water. Grow value-added, alternative crops.	agriculture	07_sea-level-rise
Transportation	Extreme weather	Electrical infrastructure: Electrical infrastructure, such as traffic lights and street lighting, may be damaged or disabled during extreme weather events. Underground electrical systems, like electric substations and tunnel lighting, are often damaged as well.	Install on-board energy storage on trains to allow them to run during power outages. Use backup power generators to quickly reconnect electrical infrastructure to a power source.	transportation	06_extreme-weather
Agriculture	Ocean acidification	Aquaculture: Acidification of coastal waters makes it harder for shellfish and other shell-producing organisms to thrive.	Apply sediment amendments such as crushed carbonate shells. Diversify products and business models, such as by using an integrated approach to aquaculture production to buffer the impacts of ocean acidification.	agriculture	08_ocean-acidification
Transportation	Precipitation changes	Snow delays: Lake effect snowstorms are projected to increase in the near term, as the Great Lakes freeze over less often. Heavy snow can block roadways and railways for days and shut down public transportation services.		transportation	03_precipitation-changes
Agriculture	Multiple hazards	Pollinators: Relatively small changes in environmental factors can result in significant responses by different species of pollinators, including birds, bats, and insects.	Reduce or eliminate pesticide use if possible. Install bat boxes. Establish pollinator gardens and provide habitat through agroforestry practices. Plant a diversity of plants, including native plants.	agriculture	09_multiple-hazards
Transportation	Extreme precipitation	Roadways, railways, bridges, tunnels, and mass transit: Heavy precipitation events can lead to washouts, flooding, and damage to bridges and roads. Increased soil moisture levels can affect the structural integrity of roads, bridges, and tunnels.	Replace and rehabilitate outdated culverts using design criteria that consider future climate conditions to help prevent and slow the deterioration caused by increased flooding. The use of permeable paving materials can also help reduce storm runoff. Elevate infrastructure above current and future floodplains, considering sea level rise, future high tides, and flooding related to extreme precipitation. Install enhanced stormwater collection systems and bioretention basins to increase the resilience of roads to flooding from extreme rainstorms. Install new storm doors and drainage pumps in tunnels. Expand key transit networks to create transportation redundancies and improve long-term planning approaches, including interagency coordination and fund allocation.	transportation	04_extreme-precipitation
Agriculture	Multiple hazards	Pests: Managing weeds, insects, and diseases under changing climate conditions is a challenge for producers as increases in frequency and severity of outbreaks is expected.	Use integrated pest management systems. These systems will need to adapt to update pest/disease management calendars. Use on-farm ecology management such as double cropping and intercropping to increase crop efficiency and resilience against pests. Diversify crops across temporal and spatial scales on the landscape and rotate crops to help foster greater biodiversity, prevent pest populations from building up, and ensure production stability.	agriculture	09_multiple-hazards
Water Resources	Sea level rise	Impacts on infrastructure: Flooding and storm surge can damage infrastructure. Rising sea levels can also cause operational challenges for facilities that discharge to tidal waters. Rising groundwater tables cause septic system failures, infiltrate sewers, intrude into basements, and degrade built infrastructure.	Incorporate changing climate conditions into planning and design, and incorporate resilience, redundancy, and flexibility into infrastructure and system operation. Strategically identify needed upgrades that also support climate adaptation. Use materials that are less sensitive to climate impacts. Assess new on-site wastewater treatment technologies that are less sensitive to rising groundwater.	water-resources	07_sea-level-rise
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Aquatic species: Species adapted to cold water will seek more favorable habitat, species adapted to warmer water will move into previously colder habitat, and the physiological stress of warming will increase vulnerability to other stressors such as disease and invasive species. These changes are already occurring in lakes, rivers, wetlands, and marine and coastal waters.	Adaptation strategies focused on identifying and maintaining coldwater habitats will benefit thermally stressed species in coming decades.	ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Water Resources	Sea level rise	Water availability and demand: The “salt line” in tidal rivers will be pushed farther upstream during drought periods, potentially affecting freshwater use and withdrawals. This may lead to increased demand for backup water supplies in areas where primary supplies are affected by sea level rise.	Conduct education and outreach to drive behavior change. Implement water conservation measures. Develop contingency plans for shortfalls in water supply. Assess opportunities for interconnections between water systems. Implement water reuse practices and technologies.	water-resources	07_sea-level-rise
Ecosystems	Multiple hazards	Interaction with non-climate stressors: Non-climate stressors include habitat loss and fragmentation, erosion, sedimentation, and pollution. The interaction of climate change and ongoing stressors associated with land-use practices and land-use change accounts for the most substantial projected ecosystem impacts.	Avoiding, reducing, and mitigating non-climate stressors is often more readily attainable than directly managing the impacts of climate change. This shows the benefit of jointly addressing climate change and non-climate stressors in adaptation planning.	ecosystems	09_multiple-hazards
Water Resources	Sea level rise	Water quality: Saltwater intrusion in groundwater drinking water supplies in coastal areas is already occurring and could increase as sea level continues to rise.	Conduct education and outreach to drive behavior change. Implement water conservation measures. Develop contingency plans for shortfalls in water supply. Assess opportunities for interconnections between water systems. Implement water reuse practices and technologies.	water-resources	07_sea-level-rise
Ecosystems	Sea level rise	Coastal ecosystems: Coastal ecosystems will increasingly flood, and intrusion of salt water into areas previously occupied by fresh water will harm low-lying coastal ecosystems. The extent of coastal wetlands is expected to decline in many areas.	Flooding and saltwater intrusion can be mitigated through efforts to maintain wetlands and to provide inland habitat for migration of wetlands. This is a resilience challenge as inland habitat intersects with the built environment.	ecosystems	07_sea-level-rise
Water Resources	Extreme temperatures	Impacts on infrastructure: Extreme heat can present operational challenges for wastewater treatment facilities.	Incorporate resilience, redundancy, and flexibility into infrastructure and system operation.	water-resources	02_extreme-temperatures
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Invasive species: New York State is home to hundreds of exotic invasive plants, animals, and pathogens and has more detrimental forest pest species than any other state. Rising temperatures and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have been identified as drivers of new and expanding infestations.	Ecosystem management will require creative and coordinated measures as native ecosystems become increasingly vulnerable to climate change and invasive species and lose their capacity to adapt to both threats.	ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Water Resources	Extreme precipitation	Impacts on infrastructure: Water infrastructure faces the potential for minor to catastrophic physical and operational impacts, including loss of service. Heavy precipitation can overwhelm stormwater collection systems, leading to more frequent combined sewer overflows. Extreme events can also cause power outages, which can disable well pumps and disrupt water and wastewater treatment. Flooding can also damage or destroy critical infrastructure. Impacts on infrastructure and service can affect service reliability, regulatory compliance, effectiveness of systems, costs, and customer perceptions.	Incorporate changing climate conditions, including flood risks, into planning and design, and incorporate resilience, redundancy, and flexibility into infrastructure and system operation. Strategically identify needed upgrades that also support climate adaptation. Explore the use of alternative power supplies (e.g., microgrids, cogeneration facilities) to improve operational resilience and use of real-time controls on combined sewer outfalls to manage combined sewer overflows. Disconnect cross connections with the storm drain system and replace or line old pipes. Build or expand equalization facilities to accommodate larger future inflows and prevent overflows. Rebuild sewer networks to separate stormwater and sanitary sewers, where feasible, or develop and implement long-term control plans to manage combined sewer overflows.	water-resources	04_extreme-precipitation
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Growing season: Ongoing and projected changes in the growing season may profoundly affect the timing of events such as the flowering of plant species, the arrival of migrating bird and fish species to a given location, and leaf fall. Warmer temperatures earlier in the season followed by freeze leads to stress on plants.		ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Forests: Climate-related stressors could diminish the potential for enhanced forest productivity that may otherwise result from warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons. Examples of such stressors include increases in invasive pest species and changes that impede regeneration, such as seedling loss to summer drying, competition from more abundant invasive plants, and increased deer browse.	Adaptive management could help address regeneration challenges, climatic stress, and slowing growth rates of resident species as these issues reach an increasing state of disequilibria with the changed climate. Such measures will require a coordinated effort made challenging by the dominance of privately held forest land in the state.	ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Water Resources	Extreme precipitation	Water quality: More frequent incidence of combined sewer overflows, and increases in runoff, can degrade water quality. For wastewater treatment facilities, flooding could lead to discharge of untreated wastewater to a receiving waterbody.	Implement best management practices to improve stormwater management, such as green infrastructure, low-impact development, and erosion prevention.	water-resources	04_extreme-precipitation
Ecosystems	Precipitation changes	Open lands: Low-lying fields and meadows will be subject to new patterns of flooding, wetting, and drying due to changes in precipitation amounts, intensity, and frequency as well as sea level rise along the coasts. These events will result in changes in plant species composition and corresponding shifts in animal communities.		ecosystems	03_precipitation-changes
Water Resources	Rising temperatures	Water availability and demand: Higher temperatures increase evaporation and thus can decrease water levels, streamflow, and groundwater recharge. Increased demand for water can also occur, particularly for irrigation (both in times of drought and extreme heat and with a longer growing season). A decrease in groundwater recharge could result in the groundwater table dropping below well depths and wells going dry. This leads to greater competition for limited water resources that could deplete stream water or groundwater resources over time.	Conduct education and outreach to drive behavior change. Implement water conservation measures. Develop contingency plans for shortfalls in water supply. Assess opportunities for interconnections between water systems. Implement water reuse practices and technologies.	water-resources	01_rising-temperatures
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Alpine zones: Alpine plant communities are expected to persist on Adirondack mountaintops through the end of the 21st century, but their extent is likely to shrink as milder winters allow the treeline to advance upslope.		ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Water Resources	Rising temperatures	Water quality: Higher temperatures can degrade water quality, including greater potential for harmful algal blooms, which may necessitate changes and investments in drinking water treatment, and lead to human health impacts. Reduced duration of ice cover for lakes and reservoirs may also negatively affect water quality.	Improve monitoring of source water and treated drinking water, including more detailed tracking of key water quality parameters in problem areas such as tributaries with recurrent high-turbidity events.	water-resources	01_rising-temperatures
Ecosystems	Rising temperatures	Lakes and ponds: Climate change is increasing surface water temperatures, decreasing ice cover, and increasing the length and strength of thermal stratification. Physical changes such as these increase the risk of harmful algal blooms, deoxygenation, and lake browning. Effects such as these can be especially stressful to coldwater fish.		ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures
Ecosystems	Extreme weather Precipitation changes	Wetlands: Climate change will have a disproportionate impact on wetland ecosystems that are most vulnerable due to location, existing pressures, and size. Large, connected wetlands and wetlands within a wetland complex will buffer climate impacts and provide connectivity for wildlife movement and migration in response to climate change.	To offset climate impacts, wetland best management practices such as revegetation, enhancement of buffers, planned retreat of coastal wetlands, and nutrient control will be increasingly important in maintaining critical habitat. Areas managed specifically for wetland impoundments may need a review of sizing and placement of infrastructure to ensure that the method and timing of water level management account for changes in precipitation, extreme storm events, and phenology of target species.	ecosystems	03_precipitation-changes 06_extreme-weather
Water Resources	Precipitation changes	Water quality: More heavy rainstorms can affect water quality, such as by increasing turbidity. This can increase the need for drinking water treatment and the associated costs.	Improve monitoring of source water and treated drinking water, including more detailed tracking of key water quality parameters in problem areas such as tributaries with recurrent high-turbidity events.	water-resources	03_precipitation-changes
Ecosystems	Extreme precipitation Rising temperatures	River ecosystems: Extreme events (particularly those that lead to flooding) and seasonal changes in hydrology caused by shorter, warmer winters will pose the most urgent management challenges for preserving riverine biodiversity, improving water quality, and protecting life and property throughout New York State. Agricultural and urban watersheds are especially prone to flooding and the resulting pollution from surface runoff. Warming waters can be especially stressful to coldwater fish.	Improved floodplain planning and management, better stormwater control, and urban river and stream ecosystem restoration can help to reduce the impacts of flooding.	ecosystems	01_rising-temperatures 04_extreme-precipitation
Society and Economy	Sea level rise	Population displacement and migration: More than three million New Yorkers live in the low-elevation coastal zone vulnerable to flooding. Flooding related to sea level rise, including flooding along the tidal Hudson, may force populations to move.	Advanced planning for these impacts will help communities. Many communities are already taking steps to prepare for flooding and manage potential displacement. Some cities may be able to adapt by preparing for incoming migration, particularly if people move to New York from parts of the United States that have become hotter, dryer, and more prone to wildfires. Such migration can provide an opportunity for much-needed population gain in regions of New York State that have experienced population declines over recent decades. Cities such as Buffalo, Syracuse, and Utica may be able to attract new migrants to areas that have lost population. Development or remodeling of housing and retrofitting and improvement of infrastructure may provide new job opportunities in construction and related sectors.	society-and-economy	07_sea-level-rise
Ecosystems	Multiple hazards	Infrastructure damage as degraded ecosystems offer less protection: Degradation and loss of ecosystems such as wetlands and riparian floodplains due to climate impacts can result in increased flood peaks and flood duration, which in turn can damage buildings, roads, bridges, railways, and energy infrastructure. Loss of tree cover in urban and suburban areas can increase energy demand. Poorly planned development, renewable energy, and transportation projects that result in continued fragmentation of ecosystems and increase in impervious surfaces lead to loss of ecosystem services that could have protected the newly built infrastructure.	Protecting and restoring ecosystems can be a relatively inexpensive way to protect infrastructure from climate events. Development of and adherence to best management practices can help build resilience for both ecosystems and the built environment.	ecosystems	09_multiple-hazards
Society and Economy	Rising temperatures	Changes in seasonal population distribution: Many regions throughout the state experience an influx of residents during the summer months and an outflow of residents during winter months. Summer residents make vital contributions to the local economies and tax bases of those areas. Increases in temperature could bring more seasonal residents to areas such as the Catskills, Finger Lakes, and Adirondacks. While economically beneficial, this also presents challenges such as unregulated seasonal rentals displacing younger residents. Changes in temperature patterns could affect the seasonal migration of retired people who spend the winter months in locations such as Florida and Arizona. Patterns of seasonal migration to the state’s rural agricultural communities could also change due to changes in seasonal labor demands, driven by longer or altered growing seasons or changes in the types of crops produced.	Improved regulation of seasonal rentals can help limit displacement of permanent residents while protecting the economic benefit of seasonal tourism.	society-and-economy	01_rising-temperatures