The selected consultant will develop a comprehensive Climate Resilience Plan for Aquidneck Island, focused on adaptation efforts, not on mitigating energy emissions. The CRP should focus on projects that will reduce the island's risk to more frequent and intense weather events, highlight opportunities for regional collaboration, and develop sound strategies for implementation, all while complementing Aquidneck Resilience's community engagement strategy. This process will be informed by extensive community engagement facilitated by the Aquidneck Resilience team. The consultant should be prepared to participate in this process, but they will not be expected to lead engagement efforts. Aquidneck Resilience is in the process of developing topic-based working groups to serve as island-wide forums for climate resilience areas including, but not limited to, water quality; transportation; flood mitigation; emergency management and preparedness; coastal resilience; food systems; land use; circular economy and sustainability. These Working Groups will inform the CRP as a “built-in” method for organized community engagement, as these topic areas will be reflected in the CRP.
