our work
INFORMING NYS ADAPTATION PLANNING & POLICY
New York State is developing its first-ever statewide Adaptation and Resilience Plan, an important opportunity to shape how communities across the state prepare for climate impacts, protect critical infrastructure and ecosystems, and build a more resilient future. At our Fall Convening, we hosted a session designed to help re-energize practitioners and kick start this process, inviting environmental sociologist Ankit Bhardwaj to share research and lessons learned from sub-national climate planning efforts around the world. Participants explored successful engagement strategies and case studies that demonstrated how inclusive, action-oriented planning can lead to stronger outcomes for communities, local economies, and long-term resilience. These conversations set the stage for rich small-group discussions that generated ideas and recommendations to help inform New York State’s Adaptation and Resilience Plan. The Network continues to work closely with state agencies to play an ongoing role in the plan’s development and help ensure it reflects the needs, expertise, and experiences of practitioners across New York.
THE NYS ADAPTATION & INNOVATION AWARDS
In 2025, the New York State Adaptation Practitioners Network teamed up with partners to launch the NYS Adaptation & Innovation Awards. The awards are part of our work to support collaboration, build skills, and promote effective strategies for climate adaptation. Our goal is to inspire communities across New York State to create resilient infrastructure that improves quality of life by reducing risks, enhancing public spaces, and supporting community well-being.
LEARNING AS A NETWORK
The Practitioners Network centers peer-learning and co-learning to advance the practice of climate adaptation. We host Lunch & Learns which spotlight programs by members of the Network or topics informed by external expertise to help disseminate lessons learned across geographies and disciplines. Annual learning goals of Network members drive the agenda for these Lunch & Learns and our convenings, allowing these statewide lessons to intertwine, spark new collaboration, and strengthen outcomes.