We've reported in half of Maine's counties for 'Climate Driven' — here's some of what we've learned

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 28, 2022

For more than a year, Maine Public's news staff has been taking a deep dive into the all-encompassing subject of climate change — examining its effects, its challenges and what future adaptation might look like in Maine, one county at a time. There's still a lot to uncover. But by the time our project concludes in April, every member of our news staff will have contributed to the effort. We're planning a public event to share our findings and hear your ideas about how the climate beat should continue. Until then, here are some takeaways in a few key areas:
• Electrification will continue to be a major theme.
• Climate change will also exacerbate existing threats to forests, such as fire, pests and invasive species.
• Trees offer the best carbon capture technology in the world.
• To get to the target of conserving 30% of the lland in the next eight years, Maine will need to protect nearly 2 million more acres.
• On the coast thousands of properties are at risk of flooding if sea levels rise 1.6 feet over the next 30 years.