Rhode Island’s first Statewide Climate Resilience Action Strategy was released on July 2, 2018. The strategy responds to changing weather and environmental conditions in Rhode Island caused by climate change and proposes bold yet implementable actions to better prepare the state for these impacts.

Rhode Island is already experiencing climate change, and the impacts are placing communities, coastlines, forests, and aging, vulnerable infrastructure at risk.

Since 2018, work has been done to prepare for, and address, the effects of climate change. Now is the time to invest in priority projects and reinforce the strong partnerships between the state and municipalities to empower and prepare communities for a new climate reality. Developing the Strategy has led to many lessons learned, particularly the importance of increased collaboration between state agencies and statewide partners to facilitate shared goal setting.

Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank is proud to have led the development of Resilient Rhody with a diverse group of statewide stakeholders.

Moving from planning to action is challenging and requires sustained energy and resources from key strategy development stakeholders. The Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council will provide continued leadership and staff resources to the implementation of this Strategy. As the state’s central hub for financing local infrastructure improvements, Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank will serve in a leadership role, bringing recommended projects from planning to implementation.