Climate Highlights from Around Maine: Maine’s Climate Future: An Initial Assessment

By Catherine Schmitt

image of Maine's Climate Future report coverThe Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine gathered input from more than 75 scientists around the state to produce the first predictions of climate change in Maine and implications for Maine’s natural resources and related economy. Their report, Maine’s Climate Future, An Initial Assessment, was delivered to Maine’s Governor John Baldacci in February. The assessment of Maine’s future climate and effects on marine, freshwater, forest, agricultural, and indigenous resources sparked action by the state legislature to initiate a climate change adaptation planning process for the state, which will continue through 2010. Download the full report from the Climate Change Institute’s website.

Figure 9 (from Maine's Climate Future, page 15)
Figure 9 (from Maine’s Climate Future, page 15): Multi-model prediction of 21st-century winter, spring, summer, and autumn temperature and precipitation changes in each Maine climate division from model runs forced with scenario A1B. Boxes depict median (solid horizontal line with a numerical value), 25th and 75th percentiles for 42 model simulations. Vertical lines span minimum to maximum variation among the models.
George Jacobson (right) presents Maine's Climate Future to Governor John Baldacci (left), February, 2010.
George Jacobson (right) presents Maine’s Climate Future to Governor John Baldacci (left), February 2010.