This 2007 paper, prepared for the Washington Biodiversity Council, projects the following for the state:

• Average annual temperatures will rise at a rate of up to 1.0°F per decade.
  
  
• In general, it looks like winters will be wetter and summers will be drier.

This booklet, produced by the National Wildlife Federation, summarizes the presentations and discussions from a workshop held in February 2009 that set the stage for an ongoing, collaborative, stakeholder-driven effort to develop a meaningful climate change adaptation strategy in Washington.

It concludes, “ultimately, with the right investments, we can change the forecast for Washington’s fish and wildlife and ensure that the many benefits they provide for us all will endure for generations to come.”

The National Research Council convened an independent panel of experts to put together this report, which explains the general ecological consequences of climate change and gives examples from across the United States, including the Western Mountains and the Pacific Coastline. The site provides ready-to-use presentations and talking points. more >

Are you an educator? A toolkit from the U.S. Global Change Research Program is designed for both formal and infomal education settings. It provides fun tools for different age groups and empowers students with actions they can take to make a difference. A video, case studies, a greenhouse gas calculator, and a teacher’s guide are among the resources available. more >

A product of the U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Resource Center, this online package includes video lectures, interactive quizzes, literature citations, and links to further information. The goal is to communicate current science relevant to the most pressing questions faced by forest managers. more >

Agriculture has a critical role to play in mediating climate change effects according to a report from The Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Changes in farm practices and planting trees on marginal lands could offset up to one fifth of current U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time creating potential new sources of farming income.
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This Farmland Information Center report details how farmers and foresters who manage their land to store carbon will have a competitive advantage. They discuss how a new economy is coming—a low-carbon economy in which greenhouse gas emission allowances and offsets will be a commodity that is bought and sold on the open market. more >

This initiative, abbreviated as REDD, was an important topic in the Copenhagen talks. As the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) points out, deforestation and forest degradation account for nearly 20% of all global greenhouse gas emissions—more than are produced by all forms of transportation combined. It advocates for the role of FSC-certified working forests in reducing emissions from forests. more >

A new report from the Wildlife Conservation Society brings to light a number of “unsung” species at risk from climate change. As Steve Sanderson, president of WCS, wrote, “The image of a forlorn-looking polar bear on a tiny ice floe has become the public’s image of climate change in nature, but the impact reaches species in nearly every habitat…” more >

This is how Ladislav Miko, Director of the European Commission’s Directorate for Protecting the Natural Environment, characterizes biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation. He writes that “resilient natural ecosystems are human societies’ best defense against the negative impacts of climate change.” more >