Feeling the Heat: Climate Change Adaptation Policy in Snohomish County

Abstract

This capstone was conducted to determine what changes will need to be made in Snohomish County to prepare for a changing climate, specifically with regard to adaptation rather than mitigation strategies. This project focuses on the differences between representative urban (Everett), suburban (Edmonds), and rural areas (Sultan, Gold Bar, and Index). Everett is an urban city with a population of 111,475 people (Census Bureau, 2019). Edmonds is a suburban city with a population of 42,605 people (Census Bureau, 2019). Sultan, Gold Bar, and Index are rural towns along the same road with a combined population of 7,959 people (Census Bureau, 2019). All of these areas face similar hazards, but they also have distinct challenges due to their differing resources, levels of development, and population sizes.This capstone reviews what threats are faced by the county and these individual areas within the county. It will then look into what actions the county and individual cities have already taken or are planning to take in the future, and then determine any other additional actions that should be taken for these areas to become more resilient to climate threats. It will also examine what differences there are between rural and urban areas in Snohomish County with regard to their level of climate preparedness and their capability to adapt for the future.