Building resilience is critical

Most of the states in the Northeast (11 out of 12) have developed adaptation plans in various sectors, and 10 have either released or are working on statewide adaptation plans. Cities and municipalities in the region also lead the way in climate resilience planning, utilizing mechanisms such as land use planning, infrastructure protection requirements, building regulations, and emergency preparation, response, and recovery to encourage resilience-building in the region. 

As temperatures rise over the next century, summers and falls in the Northeast will become hotter and growing seasons will lengthen. Changes in precipitation patterns, drought incidence, and sea level rise will also affect crops, livestock, forests, and wildlife.

The extensive built infrastructure present in the Northeast is increasingly challenged by weather- and climate-related impacts. As a result of early settlement patterns, the region has some of the oldest buildings and facilities in the United States, much of it built along the region's coastline. These structures—as well as the energy, transportation, water, and sanitation systems that make up the regional built environment—were not built to withstand the new conditions and extreme events projected to occur over the next century.