Given that most scientists agree the climate is changing, experts and officials are trying to get ready for possible effects — in order to avoid harm to people, places and things.
For instance, what kind of measures could prevent health effects from heat waves? What can the state do to protect the tourism economy, which depends on snowmobiling, skiing, fishing and boating? How could the paper industry react if warmer-climate trees change northern forest composition? How can stormwater be managed?
The state Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have started the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts to explore potential effects and find answers to those and other questions.