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Changing climate is having impacts to human structures, archaeological artifacts, and other human creations.
National Landmarks at Risk
This report from the Union of Concerned Scientists details how many historical and cultural landmarks in the United States are at risk from climate change impacts.

Changes in traditional lifeways trace personal and community experiences in environmental change across recent generations.
Another site from the Environmental Protection Agency shows how climate change could affect human health, infrastructure, and transportation systems, as well as energy, food, and water supplies. Some groups of people will likely face greater challenges than others. Climate change may especially impact people who live in areas that are vulnerable to coastal storms, drought, and sea level rise or people who are poor. Similarly, some types of professions and industries may face considerable challenges from climate change.
The World Health Organization has a comprehensive topic page featuring fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and publications about how climate change is affecting human health.
From the National Institute of Environmental Health Services and Environmental Health Perspectives, this is an interagency study looking at a variety of cross-cutting issues that impact human health related to climate. Disease vectors, heat-related mortality, mental health implications, and human development effects are studied. These factors are synthesized and recommendations for action are included.

How did we get here? Some parks have stories to tell about the development of the modern world, contributing to the cause (and possible) solution for our climate crisis.

Parks contain examples of past human responses to past climatic and environmental variability.
Putting it All Together
The My Site's Stories Worksheet [PDF] is meant to help you think about your site and understand how it contributes to telling a climate story. The previous link shares an example of a completed worksheet for a cultural resources park (Homestead National Monument), and you can also download a blank worksheet [MS Word file] to complete on your own.
Last updated: February 5, 2024