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Planning for climate change across the US Great Plains: concerns and insights from government decision-makers

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Abstract

While both international and national efforts are being made to assess climate change and mitigate effects, primary impacts will likely be regional. The US Great Plains region is home to a mosaic of unique ecosystems which are at risk from climate change. An exploratory survey of over 900 Great Plains government officials shows concerns for specific natural resources but not global climate change. Local government decision-makers are important sources of initiation for environmental policy; however, less than 20 % of jurisdictions surveyed have developed plans for adapting to or mitigating potential climate change impacts. The continental extremes of seasonal and annual climate variability of the Great Plains can mask the effects of global climate change and likely influences its’ residents lack of concern. The study findings indicate a need to reframe the discussion away from climate change skepticism, toward a focus on possible impacts within current resource management priorities such as drought, so that proactive planning can be addressed.

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Notes

  1. For more information about the NEON domains, please see: http://neoninc.org/science/domains (Accessed: 30 January 2012).

  2. The questions reported in this article are provided in an Appendix. Our questionnaire was adapted from a 2006 survey conducted with California coastal managers by Susanne Moser and John Tribbia. Please see the following link for more information about the California survey: http://www.isse.ucar.edu/moser/california/ (Accessed: 30 January 2012).

  3. The low response rate can be attributed to a variety of factors, including: 1) fewer responses were completed from counties geographically farther away from the research University; 2) the second survey phase was conducted in the summer, which is field season for natural resource managers, so some may not have taken time to participate; 3) the questionnaire was lengthy- 40 questions- which may have deterred some from responding; and 4) climate change is still a controversial topic in the GP, so it is expected that many ignored the survey because of the subject matter.

  4. Because this was an exploratory survey, no correlations analysis was sought or conducted.

  5. The study of risk perception is extensive. For more studies that relate to science and decision-making, see: (Covello et al. 1989; Hance et al. 1989; Johnson and Chess 2006; Kahan et al. 2009; Kasperson and Kasperson 1996; Margolis 1996; Slovic 2000; Slovic et al. 2004; Stern and Fineberg 1996; Wildavsky and Dake 1990)

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Acknowledgments

The authors express thanks to Kristine Mattis for her assistance in conducting the survey research and review of earlier drafts of the manuscript and thanks to Andrea Hewitt for her assistance with the figures. The authors also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their feedback and helpful suggestions. The research was conducted through the Northern Great Plains Center for People and the Environment at the University of North Dakota under a grant from the NASA Applied Sciences Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Dakota, 4149 University Ave. MS 9011, Grand Forks, ND, 58202-9011, USA

    Rebecca J. Romsdahl

  2. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 4775 Technology Circle #1B Grand Forks Field Office, Grand Forks, ND, 58203, USA

    Lorilie Atkinson

  3. Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc., 1815 Schafer St. Suite 301, Bismarck, ND, 58501, USA

    Jeannie Schultz

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  1. Rebecca J. Romsdahl
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  2. Lorilie Atkinson
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Correspondence to Rebecca J. Romsdahl.

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Romsdahl, R.J., Atkinson, L. & Schultz, J. Planning for climate change across the US Great Plains: concerns and insights from government decision-makers. J Environ Stud Sci 3, 1–14 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0078-8

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