Climate Impacts and Adaptation Studies

New York is already experiencing rising average temperatures, more frequent heat waves, heavy rain events, and rising sea levels along the coastline, with scientists projecting these changes will continue and accelerate. NYSERDA’s Environmental Research Program supports research into how climate change affects New York’s communities and environment, and how the State can prepare for and lessen those impacts—spanning everything from climate modeling to public health effects. Completed projects are documented in final project reports.

New York State Climate Impacts Assessment

NYSERDA led a comprehensive assessment of observed and projected impacts of climate change on New York State—the New York State Climate Impacts Assessment : Understanding and Preparing for Our Changing Climate. This ambitious effort assessed how climate change will affect—and is already affecting—New York's communities, ecosystems, and economy, to help inform all levels of decision-making in the State.

The assessment provides projections of how the climate in New York State will change, deep discussions and summaries of the impacts across all sectors, and examples of strategies for adapting to the potential impacts.

The assessment can help residents, businesses, and decision makers across New York plan and prepare for the impacts of climate change. More broadly, it clearly demonstrates the benefits of taking action to adapt to future climate conditions—in addition to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change—while such action is still meaningful and possible.