Climate Ready Communities
Climate change is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing society, threatening human lives as well as environments and economies. As the impacts of climate change worsen, humans will need to adapt. IISG helps communities, businesses and individuals prepare for the challenges of climate change, including understanding areas that are most vulnerable and how negative impacts associated with climatic changes might be mitigated.
Programs & Initiatives
Flood Vulnerability Assessment for Critical Facilities
Flooding is always hard on a community, but when hospitals, mass transit, utilities, and others that impact the health and safety of residents are under water, these facilities may not be able to provide critical services or may even be forced to shut down. This leaves residents and businesses vulnerable to other threats and makes flood recovery ever more challenging. The Flood Vulnerability Assessment for Critical Facilities is available online to assist critical facilities evaluate their preparedness for when the next big rainstorm hits.
See MoreResilient Chicago
Resilient Chicago helps decision makers in the greater Chicago metropolitan region to incorporate climate adaptation into local planning efforts through workshops, webinars, and other resources that address the political, logistical, and financial aspects of local climate planning.
See MoreA Self-Assessment to Address Climate Change Readiness in Your Community
This self-assessment provides local decision makers with a simple and inexpensive method to review potential vulnerabilities to climate trends and to begin the conversation of how and when to incorporate these trends into community planning and projects.
See MoreGreat Lakes Region: Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook
These reports include a climate summary, information on significant events, impacts during the previous season, and an outlook for the upcoming season. Developed by binational Great Lakes partners, these summaries provide a quick and easy way for local officials and others to stay on top of the latest information.
See MorePublications
- Pollinator Garden- Native Plants for Attracting Pollinators
- Illinois Native Plants for the Home Landscape
- Rain Garden- A Native Planting Guide for Rain Garden Beds
- Summary report of the “Plastics research in the Great Lakes: identifying gaps and facilitating collaboration” session presented during the 60th annual International Association for Great Lakes Research conference (IAGLR)
- Aquatic Ecosystems in a Shifting Indiana Climate
Related News
- New “Stormwater@Home” video series provides timely tips to prevent flooding
- Climate change poses uncertain future for Indiana’s aquatic habitats
- Climate change creates uncertainty for Indiana’s aquatic animals, plants
- Flood Vulnerability Assessment tool is online and ready to help
- IISG is now a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador
Research Projects
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant funds original research projects that support and complement our education and outreach activities. The link below will take you the Climate Ready Communities section of our funded research database, where you will find project descriptions, contact information, and final reports and publications.
See All Related Research & Projects