Southern Great Plains [US Climate Reslience Toolkit]

Increasing frequency and intensity of precipitation, warmer ocean temperatures, extreme heat, and rising sea levels are degrading the air, lands, and waters that people in the Southern Great Plains rely on for economic, recreational, and cultural activities. These impacts compound existing burdens on disadvantaged communities that have the fewest resources to prepare and adapt to climate change. People are adapting through nature-based solutions, reliance on Indigenous and local knowledges, and resilient infrastructure that enhances public health and the region’s economy. Since 2018, many of the region’s largest cities have released climate resilience or sustainability plans, and have started incorporating social justice considerations into their planning processes. Throughout the region, a major shift in energy generation from fossil fuels toward renewables is underway, creating new jobs, cleaner air, and reducing emissions. Wind and solar energy generation and battery storage capacities have grown, with the region accounting for 42% of national wind-generated electricity in 2022.