Fire in the Bridger Mountains, September 2020. Photo courtesy of Bruce Maxwell.

APPENDIX B. COMMUNITY TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Table B-1 provides a list of resources for communities, including public and environmental health agencies and organizations, to develop climate change assessments and action plans.

Source	Resource description
Table B-1. Resources for state and local governments, communities, tribes, faith organizations, and teachers to help plan for, address, and inform about climate change impacts.^a
NATIONAL: Comprehensive Planning for Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US	A comprehensive, nationwide, online climate toolkit to help communities a) explore hazards; b) assess vulnerability and risks; c) investigate options to reduce risks and protect assets; d) prioritize and plan; e) take actions to build resilience. At this site: find climate projections for every US county, funding opportunities to plan for climate impacts and training options. See https://toolkit.climate.gov/.
National League of Cities, Climate for Health and many other partner organizations	Moving Forward: A Guide to Building Momentum on Climate Solutions in Your Community. A guide for civic leaders in smaller and mid-size communities who want to lead on climate and sustainability but may lack full-time sustainability staff. Provides resources and ideas to embed local climate solutions into planning and management activities, to achieve benefits with little or no additional costs. Create healthier communities, protect vulnerable residents, save money by reducing waste, spur economic development, build property values, improve public safety and restore natural assets. Engage residents using clear, positive, inclusive and relevant messages. See https://www.nlc.org/topics/environment-sustainability/climate; https://www.nlc.org/resource/moving-forward-a-guide-to-building-momentum.... Local Actions to Mitigate and Build Resilience to Climate Change: A list of some of the many steps you can take locally to prepare your community, help mitigate impacts, and build a cleaner future for your residents. See https://pathtopositive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/P2P-checklist-Sep1.... Additional resources from National League of Cities and ecoAmerica are available. See https://www.nlc.org/program-initiative/nlc-ecoamerica-elevating-local-cl... https://www.neha.org/eh-topics/climate-change-0.
Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange	Widely used source of climate adaptation case studies, resources and opportunities, to support managers, planners and practitioners in preparing for and responding to climate change. Resources can be searched by adaptation phase, region and topic. See www.cakex.org.
ASTHOs Climate Change Collaborative	Association of State and Territorial Health Officials’ (ASTHO) Extreme Weather and Climate Readiness: Toolkit for State and Territorial Health Departments. Developed by the US Association of State and Territorial Health Officers for state-level health departments in the US. It provides some practical steps, forms, and guidance for climate readiness planning within your public health agency. The toolkit describes a comprehensive approach to integrating climate readiness into seven key public health programs. See https://www.astho.org/Programs/Environmental-Health/Natural-Environment/....
National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)	NCAT aims to help people to build resilient communities through local and sustainable solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen self-reliance, and protect natural resources. See https://www.ncat.org/.
Geos Institute’s Climate Ready Communities	The Geos Institute helps small to mid-sized communities plan for and build climate resilience. Climate Ready Communities is an affordable “assisted do-it-yourself” program, which includes: a) A free, downloadable, comprehensive Practical Guide to Building Climate Resilience; b) Annual support for assistance utilizing the Guide; c) Other services. See www.climatereadycommunities.org; https://climatereadycommunities.org/learn-more/about-guidebook/. Geos’ Climate Wise Initiative: The Geos team supports community leaders in understanding likely future conditions, building resilience in ways that are effective and beneficial over the long term for people and nature, and developing locally appropriate solutions. See https://climatewise.org.
Geos Institute’s Working Waters	Working Waters: A science-based initiative to ensure safe water for ecosystems, including people. Helps water managers and other stakeholders to research, plan, incentivize, and implement actionable strategies to heal damaged habitat and protect healthy landscapes. See https://www.workingwatersgeos.org/.
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Health Organization (WHO)	UNDRR/WHO training webinar available: Resilience of local governments: A multi-sectoral approach to integrate public health and disaster risk management. The UNDRR’s Public Health Addendum to the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities is a useful tool for integrating relevant aspects of public health with disaster planning, mitigation and response. Examples include sanitation, disease prevention, nutrition, care for those who are already sick or disabled as a disaster happens, those who are injured or become sick as a result of the disaster, mental health issues, health logistics, more. Training webinar and links to many resources for disaster resilience are available online. See https://www.unisdr.org/campaign/resilientcities/toolkit/article/public-h....
NATIONAL: Planning for Climate Change and Health
National Integrated Heat Health Information System	The NIHHIS is an integrated system that builds understanding of the problem of extreme heat, defines demand for climate services that enhance societal resilience, develops science-based products and services from a sustained climate-science research program, and improves capacity, communication, and societal understanding of the problem in order to reduce morbidity and mortality due to extreme heat. The NIHHIS is a jointly developed system by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See https://nihhis.cpo.noaa.gov.
National League of Cities, Climate for Health, et al.	Moving Forward: A Guide for Health Professionals to Building Momentum on Climate Action. Guidance and tools to reduce energy use, build resilient clinics and health departments, and support policies, which better integrate health into climate solutions. See https://climateforhealth.org/moving-forward-toolkit/.
US Global Change Research Program	The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment. Climate change is a significant threat to the health of the American people. This scientific assessment examines how climate change is already affecting human health and the changes that may occur in the future. See https://health2016.globalchange.gov/.
American Public Health Association	Climate Changes Health. A wealth of resources, including their Climate Change and Health Needs Assessment and their Climate Change and Health Strategic Plan. Understand and plan for the effects of climate change on health. See https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/climate-change.
Public Health Institute (PHI)	PHI’s Center for Climate Change and Health’s report explores the many ways in which climate change, health, and equity are connected. Presents a conceptual framework to show how these issues are linked, and to identify opportunities and recommendations for action. See https://www.phi.org/resources/?resource=climate-change-health-and-equity....
Neighborhoods at Risk Tool	See where flooding, urban heat, and hurricanes impact the most vulnerable people. Map and explore information at the neighborhood level for every community in the US. See https://headwaterseconomics.org/tools/neighborhoods-at-risk/tool-about/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)	Climate and Health: Resources for Public Health Professionals. Resources include guidance, trainings, webinars, data, tools and videos for the range of essential public health services around climate and health. See https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/site_resources.htm; https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/climate_ready.htm. Assessing Health Vulnerability to Climate Change: A Guide for Health Departments. Provides a suggested sequence of steps that health departments can undertake to assess local health vulnerabilities associated with climate change. See https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/24906. Climate and Health Intervention Assessment. Outlines evidence of effectiveness of various interventions for reducing the negative health impacts of climate change. Ninety pages of thoroughly cited, very helpful information. See https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/docs/ClimateAndHealthInterventionAs.... Information on the health effects of climate change, excerpted from the Third National Climate Assessment. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. See https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/default.htm. The Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework is a five-step process that allows health officials to develop strategies and programs to help communities prepare for the health effects of climate change. Combining atmospheric data and climate projections with epidemiologic analysis allows health officials to more effectively anticipate, prepare for, and respond to a range of climate sensitive health impacts. See https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/BRACE.htm. CDC’s Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI) funds states and cities to use the five-step Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework
National Academies Press	Protecting the Health and Well-Being of Communities in a Changing Climate: Proceedings of a Workshop. Presentations and discussions about regional, state, and local efforts to mitigate and adapt to health challenges arising from climate change. See https://www.nap.edu/read/24846/chapter/1.
US Government Accountability Office	Water infrastructure: Technical Assistance and Climate Resilience Planning Could Help Utilities Prepare for Potential Climate Change Impacts. This report examines federal technical and financial assistance to utilities for enhancing climate resilience, and options experts identified for providing additional assistance, among other things. See https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-24.
ECONOMICS
Moody’s Investor Services	Moody’s Report: Environmental Risks—Evaluating the impact of climate change on US state and local issuers. “Climate change is forecast to heighten US exposure to economic loss… This will be a growing negative credit factor for issuers without sufficient adaptation and mitigation strategies.” See https://southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Evaluating-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-US-state-and-local-issuers-11-28-17.pdf.
New York Times	“Moody’s Buys Climate Data Firm, Signaling New Scrutiny of Climate Risks.” See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/climate/moodys-ratings-climate-change....
Pew Trust	“Climate Change Could Make Borrowing Costlier for States and Cities… now is the time for communities to make serious investments in climate resilience — or risk being punished by the financial sector in the future.” See https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/....
London School of Economics and Political Science	2019 Report: The Missing Economic Risks in Assessments of Climate Change Impacts. Additional sponsors: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Earth Institute at Columbia University. See http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/The-missing-economic-risks-in-assessments-of-climate-change-impacts-2.pdf.
Fitch Ratings	Environmental Risks in US State and Local Government Ratings (report available to Fitch Ratings Research subscribers). See https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/10031874.
MONTANA
MT Climate Solutions Council	This Governor’s Council developed a Montana Climate Solutions Plan (June 2020), which provides recommendations and strategies aimed at preparing Montanans for climate impacts. See https://deq.mt.gov/DEQAdmin/dir/Climate.
MT Department of Environmental Quality	Daily air quality updates for Montana. See svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/smokereport/mostrecentupdate.aspx.
Climate Smart Montana	A non-partisan, non-profit network sharing information and resources to better coordinate community-based climate solutions and resiliency efforts in Montana. Access existing and proposed community resiliency plans in Montana. Join their listserve. See https://www.montana.edu/communitydevelopment/csm/.
Montana State University Extension	A listserve for Montana citizens and educators who want to share information on climate science and policy. See https://www.montana.edu/communitydevelopment/csm/index.html.
City of Bozeman	Bozeman’s Climate Planning Framework provides summaries of 17 separate Bozeman plans related to climate and climate change impacts. See https://www.bozeman.net/home/showdocument?id=9681.
TRIBAL
The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals	Northern Arizona University’s ITEP’s Tribal Climate Change Program offers training, technical assistance, educational resources, and tools to build the capacity of tribes to address climate change impacts. Resources include the ITEP Adaptation Planning Toolkit. See http://toolkit.climate.gov/tool/tribal-climate-change-adaptation-plannin....
Bureau of Indian Affairs: Tribal Resilience Program	BIA Tribal Resilience Program. Provides resources to tribes to build capacity and resilience through leadership engagement, delivery of data and tools, training and tribal capacity building. Competitive funding supports tribes and authorized tribal organizations to build resilience through tribally designed resilience training, adaptation planning, vulnerability assessments, supplemental monitoring, capacity building, and youth engagement. See https://www.bia.gov/bia/ots/tribal-resilience-program. US Climate Resilience Toolkit: Tribal Nations. Tribal Nations often integrate traditional knowledges with technology and diverse research methods to effectively address climate change and related impacts in a culturally appropriate community context. See https://toolkit.climate.gov/topics/tribal-nations. Tribal Resilience Resource Guide: Training. A wealth of training resources listed by the six strategies/subtopics described in the US Resilience Toolkit, Tribal Nations Topic. See https://biamaps.doi.gov/tribalresilience/resourceguide/training/index.html
National Indian Health Board	The Climate Ready Tribes Initiative: 1) Funds tribes to conduct local climate health work or research; 2) Hosts an Environmental Health and Climate Track at the Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit; 3) Shares materials including resources, information and opportunities, largely through the Climate and Health Learning Community. See https://www.nihb.org/public_health/climate_ready_tribes.php; https://www.nihb.org/public_health/climate_resources.php.
Blackfeet Nation	The Blackfeet Nation is building resilience to climate change. They are planning ahead, engaging young people, and sharing information about climate change and: air quality, extreme weather events, cancer, food safety and nutrition, heat-related illnesses, pregnant women, mental health and well-being, vector-borne diseases and water-related illnesses. Check out their Blackfeet Climate Change Adaptation Plan. See https://blackfeetclimatechange.com; https://bcapwebsite.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/bcap_final_4-11.pdf.
TEACHERS
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US	Toolbox for Teaching Climate and Energy. Downloadable scientifically and pedagogically reviewed digital resources for teaching about climate’s influence on us and our influence on climate. Prepare to teach the science and engineering called for in the new standards, which address major world challenges and opportunities, such as generating sufficient clean energy, building climate resilience for businesses and communities, maintaining supplies of food and clean water, and solving the problems of global environmental change. See https://www.climate.gov/teaching.
FAITH COMMUNITIES
The Center for Large Landscape Conservation	Healthy Landscapes, Healthy People: A Guidebook for Montana Communities Preparing for a Changing Climate. A guide for people who are concerned about human health and climate change, with a specific focus on faith communities. Addresses impacts of climate change to landscapes and human health; how to protect landscapes to protect human health; things our communities can do; tools for planning and acting now to protect our future. See https://largelandscapes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Climate_Landscape....
Faith and Climate Action Montana	Educates individuals in faith communities about climate change and creates space for spiritual reflection on social and environmental issues. See https://faithandclimateactionmontana.weebly.com.
Faith, Science and Climate Action MT	The FSCA Conferences provide a supportive community learning environment for participants to discuss climate change and our moral obligations to families, neighbors, future generations, and vulnerable populations, and, fundamentally, to our planet. See https://www.fscaconference.org.
MT Interfaith Power and Light	Seeks to deepen the connection between ecology and faith. IPL has mobilized religious communities to be faithful stewards of creation through the promotion of energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. See http://blessedtrinitymissoula.org/outreach/social-concerns-parish-team/i....
ecoAmerica	Blessed Tomorrow: Caring for Creation Today. Blessed Tomorrow is a coalition of diverse religious partners working to advance climate solutions in faithful service to God. Living our faith means leading on climate change as stewards of God’s creation. See https://blessedtomorrow.org/.
LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS AND AGRICULTURE
Northern Plains Resource Council	Northern Plains is a grassroots conservation and family agriculture group that organizes Montanans to protect our water quality, family farms and ranches, and unique quality of life. See https://northernplains.org/about-us/.
Montana Farmers Union	Montana Farmers Union is a statewide grassroots organization working for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through conferences, scholarships and other educational opportunities as well as legislative representation and support for producer-owned co-ops. See https://montanafarmersunion.com/.
Montana Organic Association	The MOA brings together people, businesses, organizations, and agencies working to develop Montana’s organic sector and building its community. See https://montanaorganicassociation.org/.
Western Sustainability Exchange (WSE)	WSE conserves the abundance of the Northern Rockies including its open spaces; wildlife habitats; soil, air, and water resources; rural communities; and agricultural land and heritage. WSE consists of local, regional, national, and international partners working cooperatively to resolve problems facing the rural West. See https://www.westernsustainabilityexchange.org/about-wse.
There are many communities and county based groups as well – look into what is happening in your area.
------- ^a Websites shown were active as of December 2020. Please contact us if you find any broken links.

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