PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2023
The U.S. is averaging twenty billion-dollar weather events per year, causing an estimated $149 billion in damages annually. Among those most at risk are our small businesses, which often operate on thin margins. In Maine, small businesses make up 99% of all businesses. For these businesses, climate change isn’t an abstract problem. It is a present-day threat. Climate change has had, and will continue to have, significant effects on some of our state’s heritage industries: fishing, forestry, and agriculture. “Blue economy” businesses that want to better understand their risk exposure and develop action plans to become more resilient can also seek technical assistance and support from ClimateWork Maine, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and a network of other organizations around the state. ~ Jared Wildwistle, Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Jeff Marks, ClimateWork Maine