There are myriad challenges that will face the region as a result of climate change, and many of them we cannot fully understand or predict at this point. However, the known challenges identified in this report must be taken into full consideration in development, policy, and capital investment strategies, with the recognition that the climate crisis will inevitably present unknown and compounding challenges at our feet.

The issues and opportunities outlined in this analysis demand aggressive and proactive engagement on large-scale and comprehensive strategies. Unprecedented future challenges require unprecedented visioning, innovation, and action. The process for developing these responses should be thoughtful, collaborative, and dedicated, and we hope that this report offers a starting point for a sustained and committed dialogue across the broad variety of institutions, organizations, and communities that have a stake in this future.  We also want to offer a place to start, and ways to take action now.  

These recommendations focus on concrete steps that can be taken right now to directly mitigate future climate impacts and begin the process of adapting our region to be as climate resilient as possible. The outline below includes a variety of capital investment, research, policy, and community engagement recommendations. Each of these provides some resource, capacity, policy, or infrastructure that can help empower Appalachian communities to chart their own path towards an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future.