Strengthen the Adaptability of New Hampshire's Economy to Climate Change (ADP Action 6)

Create policies to support economic development that will reduce or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, introduce climate considerations into the economic growth model, and attract environmentally responsible employers. The proposed action would help businesses and agricultural interests prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change and the potential impacts of its solutions. Sample measures include anticipating the effects of climate change on important current industries (e.g., skiing, tourism, agricultural); assisting businesses with reducing their energy costs, developing "green collar" training and education programs; and attracting alternative energy and other "clean-tech" industries. New Hampshire should embrace this task proactively by taking advantage of any new economic opportunities where the state might create a niche for itself in sustainable economic development. Implementation may require improvements to infrastructure and creation of appropriate tax incentives to support businesses adapting to climate change. Additionally, New Hampshire may need to develop disaster recovery plans in advance of anticipated climate-related events to ensure that assistance will be available throughout the recovery phases of increasingly frequent extreme-weather events.