Indigo Development is expanding its strategic planning and capacity building services to help fill the climate adaptation gap in the US. We believe that large businesses, industry associations, and agencies at all levels of government need to start the process now. They can reduce future costs of climate change by understanding how to assess their risk from the impacts of climate change and develop proactive adaptation plans to reduce these risks. 

Indigo offers a number of services to support public and private sector organizations and coalitions in this initiative:

A climate adaptation best practices study: Indigo conducts a summary study of adaptation programs, plans, and tools in other countries and internationally, focusing on critical issues defined by the client organization. We customize such a study to the needs of the client and outline options for creating a comprehensive climate adaptation program. We present the results to leaders, planning staff, and key stakeholders of the organization.

Introduction to climate adaptation briefing: We present a briefing workshop for organizational leaders and planning staff, to review the need for adaptation planning, specific requirements for the client organization, and the experience of comparable organizations in other countries.  

Climate adaptation capacity assessment process: Indigo surveys staff and key stakeholders to determine the critical climate issues for the client, the depth of resources for adaptation planning, and likely beginning points in adaptation planning. The survey includes current programs for mitigating greenhouse gases. A working conference reviews the initial assessment draft and guides completion of the assessment document and recommendations for a process and strategy of adaptation planning.

Capacity development program: Indigo designs and supports implementation of a climate adaptation capacity building program for the client organization and key stakeholders. The goal is to mainstream adaptation planning into policy development, investment, and project design and management, integrating it into the primary work of the organization.

The program develops a process for adaptation planning and its integration with GHG mitigation activities. It includes briefings on basic climate science (as needed), a systems approach to climate risk assessment and management, and multi-stakeholder planning and design processes to prioritize risks and create adaptation strategies. The client may contract for preparation of a climate action manual customized to the needs of the client, as part of this process.

This client for these products may be a coalition of organizations with overlapping areas of responsibility, such as agricultural associations, regional planning groups, or resource management agencies.

Integrative Regional Action Planning as context: Planning and implementing adaptation to climate change is an inherently integrative activity, involving all sectors across the city to rural to wild land continuum in a region. So our approach to integrative regional action planning is an excellent framework for this effort. Integrative Regional Action Plannin

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