Last updated: 1/31/23

Preparing for Climate Change

Climate Ready Boston is our initiative to get the City ready for the long-term impacts of climate change.

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Boston residents are already affected by extreme heat, rain, snow and flooding. These trends will only continue. The City launched Climate Ready Boston to help Boston plan for the impacts of climate change and build a resilient future.

Climate Ready Boston is an ongoing initiative. We work with the community and other partners to advance our vision for a Climate Ready Boston.

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Have Questions? Contact:

Environment
617-635-3850
CLIMATE.READY@BOSTON.GOV
Read the "Heat Plan" to prepare Boston for hotter summers.

Full Report

Executive Summary

The Heat Plan

Learn about how we are preparing for increased temperatures and extreme heat events due to climate change. The Heat Plan identifies strategies to address current and future impacts of extreme heat and increase citywide resilience.

the heat plan

Resilient Harbor Vision

Learn about our climate-ready vision to enhance Boston’s waterfront. We want to protect Boston's neighborhoods from sea level rise and flooding due to climate change.

Resilient Boston Harbor

Coastal Resilience Neighborhood Planning

Climate Ready Downtown and North End

We released coastal resilience solutions to protect the Downtown/North End from coastal flooding.

Climate Ready East Boston

In 2017 we released Phase I of the Coastal Resilience Solutions. In 2022 we released Phase II of the solutions for East Boston.

Climate Ready Charlestown

In 2017 we released Phase I of the Coastal Resilience Solutions. In 2022 we released Phase II of the solutions for Charlestown.

Climate Ready South Boston

Read the report on coastal resilience strategies across the neighborhood.

Moakley Park Vision Plan

We're working with the Parks Department on a redesigned, resilient Moakley.

Climate Ready Dorchester

We released a coastal resilience solutions report for protecting Dorchester from coastal flooding.

Climate Ready Story project

We are sharing stories of social resilience and connectedness that are showing up in Boston due to COVID-19.

Story project

Climate resilience

Preparing for heat

Learn about the Heat Plan to prepare Boston for the impacts of extreme heat due to climate change.

Impact

See the flooding, heat, and social vulnerability information that we use in resilience planning.

Explore projects

Learn more about projects that protect Boston’s shoreline from coastal flooding and sea level rise.

Climate Resilient Infrastructure Guidelines

Public Works released guidelines for flood barriers in the public right-of-ways.

Coastal Flood Resilience Design guidelines

The Boston Planning & Development Agency released guidelines for flood resilience in our building stock.

U.S. Army Corps Partnership

A federal partnership that will assess different approaches to coastal resilience and recommend solutions that would be eligible for federal funding.

Progress

IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Across the City, we recognize the importance of tracking our progress and being transparent. Every year, we release a Climate Action Progress report. In the report, we show the progress we're making on the initiatives recommended in the Climate Ready Boston Outline of Actions, as well as our other climate initiatives.