Browse Climate Tactics
Learn about methods for implementing climate resilience in your projects.
73 Tactics
Limit demand for new material
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Choose materials with less energy-intensive manufacturing
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Choose materials with less energy-intensive machining/finishing
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Source materials and fabricate regionally (within the state or province)
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Design for deconstruction and material reuse
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Keep everything on site (no off hauling to landfill)
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Design to limit construction vehicle hours
Mitigation
Minimize Embodied Carbon
Reduce the energy demand of buildings (heating/cooling)
Mitigation
Reduce Operational Energy
Eliminate or reduce the need for gas-powered maintenance
Mitigation
Reduce Operational Energy
Reduce the energy demand of irrigation systems
Mitigation
Reduce Operational Energy
Reduce the energy demand of lighting systems
Mitigation
Reduce Operational Energy
Make safe and convenient person-powered transportation networks
Mitigation
Enable No-Engine Mobility
Make safe and convenient no-engine parking/charging
Mitigation
Enable No-Engine Mobility
Reduce car convenience
Mitigation
Enable No-Engine Mobility
Link to shared transportation modes
Mitigation
Enable No-Engine Mobility
Add photovoltaic panels
Mitigation
Power with Renewables
Site and/or integrate larger renewables
Mitigation
Power with Renewables
Design only on previously developed land to minimize infrastructure build out.
Mitigation
Repurpose Urban Land
Reuse previously undevelopable urban land to minimize infrastructure build out.
Mitigation
Repurpose Urban Land
Limit gas release from soils
Mitigation
Prevent GHG Discharge
Consolidate and reduce the development footprint
Mitigation
Preserve Undeveloped Land and Vegetation
Put land into long-term conservation
Mitigation
Preserve Undeveloped Land and Vegetation
Preserve or conserve existing biomes
Mitigation
Preserve Undeveloped Land and Vegetation
Specify sustainably harvested wood
Mitigation
Preserve Undeveloped Land and Vegetation
Maximize planting area
Mitigation
Maximize Carbon Uptake With Plant Material
Grow new trees
Mitigation
Maximize Carbon Uptake With Plant Material
Grow new plants that…
Mitigation
Maximize Carbon Uptake With Plant Material
Retain existing vegetation
Mitigation
Maximize Carbon Uptake With Plant Material
Limit lawn to critical programmatic areas (to maximize higher sequestration planting types)
Mitigation
Maximize Carbon Uptake With Plant Material
Apply organic mulch or cover crops plowed under as green manure
Mitigation
Increase Soil Organic Carbon
Create new grasslands, forests, and/or wetlands (coastal, marsh, mangrove, seagrass, freshwater, peat bog, swamp)
Mitigation
Regenerate Natural Carbon Sinks
Restore degraded grasslands, forests, and/or wetlands (coastal, marsh, mangrove, seagrass, freshwater, peat bog, swamp)
Mitigation
Regenerate Natural Carbon Sinks
Create new grasslands, forests, and/or wetlands (coastal, marsh, mangrove, seagrass, freshwater, peat bog, swamp)
Mitigation
Regenerate Natural Carbon Sinks
Move activities away from high-risk areas
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Coastal Storms
Reconfigure shorelines to attenuate wave energy
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Coastal Storms
Reduce excess water by exiting it as quickly as possible without overtaxing the storm system
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Coastal Storms
Move activities away from high-risk areas
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Wildfire
Create obstacles to stop the advance of fire
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Wildfire
Reduce excess fuels
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Wildfire
Move activities away from high-risk areas
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Flash Floods
Create obstacles to attenuate water speed, volume, and sediment flows
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Flash Floods
Reduce excess water
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Flash Floods
Reduce excess sediment through erosion prevention
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Flash Floods
Move activities away from high-risk areas (hottest, most exposed, most populous)
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Excess Heat
Create obstacles to surface warming
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Excess Heat
Reduce excess heat by lowering surface temperatures
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Excess Heat
Increase evaporative cooling
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Excess Heat
Design for night time use
Adaptation
Limit Exposure to Excess Heat
Design for robustness (the capacity to withstand adverse conditions)
Adaptation
Design for Floodability
Incorporate redundancies
Adaptation
Design for Floodability
Design for the rapid containment of losses
Adaptation
Design for Floodability
Design for the capacity to absorb and recover
Adaptation
Design for Floodability
Design for robustness (the capacity to withstand adverse conditions)
Adaptation
Design for Fire Disturbance
Incorporate redundancies
Adaptation
Design for Fire Disturbance
Design for the capacity to absorb and recover
Adaptation
Design for Fire Disturbance
Design for the rapid containment of losses
Adaptation
Design for Fire Disturbance
Implement on-site water reclamation systems
Adaptation
Design for Drought
Design for the rapid containment of losses
Adaptation
Incorporate Cooling Features for People
Lower core body temperature
Adaptation
Incorporate Cooling Features for People
Increase the perception of thermal comfort
Adaptation
Incorporate Cooling Features for People
Block solar radiation
Adaptation
Incorporate Cooling Features for People
Select generally robust and regenerative native and non-native plants for climate extremes (heat, drought, wind, inundation, salt)
Adaptation
Prioritize Climate-Adapted Vegetation
Select specifically adapted native and non-native plants, according to regional climate projections
Adaptation
Prioritize Climate-Adapted Vegetation
Protect habitat
Adaptation
Increase Biodiversity
Connect habitat
Adaptation
Increase Biodiversity
Increase complexity (by adding new species to existing monocultures)
Adaptation
Increase Biodiversity
Make or expand quality habitat for diverse animals, insects, and plants
Adaptation
Increase Biodiversity
Facilitate social interaction to engender community building, ownership, mutual aid, and collective well-being
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure
Facilitate socio-economic mixing to help communities engender tolerance, develop social capital, and share opportunities for upward mobility
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure
Listen to feedback from stakeholders to create places that feel safe and inviting
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure
Integrate a community resilience hub or cooling center for support during disaster events
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure
Integrate park space into other climate-ready civic assets such as libraries, rec centers, police and fire stations, streets, transit areas, and schools
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure
Program the site to educate users about climate risks including what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency
Adaptation
Build Social Infrastructure