<aside> 💡 Help build understanding of how climate change is affecting your state and identify the most relevant climate risks that might be addressed through service program activities

</aside>

🔽 Explore Further | Action Steps

Armed with even a basic understanding of the mechanics and dimensions of climate change generally, you have critical context to begin to explore the localized effects of climate change in your state. Developing a state-specific understanding of current and projected climate change impacts in your state sets a foundation for building a state-wide climate corps. Depending on your state’s geographical location, you could be facing a range of climate risks and hazards, some more prevalent than others.

For anyone not well-versed in the science or climate field, researching and digesting this information can be overwhelming. So how can you best digest what is happening in the most efficient and useful way? Fortunately, there are national and often state level resources to help identify, map, and quantify climate impacts. Some of these resources also provide useful snapshots for states to see at a high-level what types of climate risks to research further. When available, the state and more localized resources can help narrow down specific climate hazards and their specific impacts on the state.

Having a comprehensive understanding of how climate change impacts your state allows you to focus your attention on climate risks and challenges that matter most to your state. Rather than take a blanket approach to climate change based on national guidance, states are likely to develop climate responses (mitigation and adaptation) that address their specific emissions sources and unique climate risks.

Understanding the biggest sources and contributors to climate change in your state, as well as the specific ways in which climate change is affecting your state (which may include how your state defines and describes those risks), provides valuable insights for aligning with state response efforts. For example, if your state has older buildings and experiences colder climates, prioritizing building energy efficiency may be a more critical priority compared to a state with newer buildings and a temperate climate. It is also helpful to understand how climate change affects your state when looking to engage with other state agencies and departments in the development of programs that are either affected by or developed in response to climate change. By recognizing the climate change risks and hazards specific to your state, you may invest resources differently.

Lastly, comprehending the climate risks in your state helps determine the areas where service programs can have the greatest impact. For example, if your state is at risk from increased frequency and severity of floods and extreme storms due to climate change, there may be a significant need for a call for service members to support the need for additional flood prevention and disaster relief services. Service members can be mobilized to provide boots-on-the-ground implementation work and also support outreach and educational initiatives around flooding and extreme weather.