The development of the Municipal Vulnerability Index (MVI) is a requirement of the Global Warming Solutions Act. It will help communities assess their preparedness for—and their resilience to—the impacts of climate change. The MVI will help identify communities that may be most adversely affected by climate change, focusing on the pressures that climate change will place on Vermont’s transportation, electric grid, housing, emergency services, and communications infrastructure. The tool will give special attention to the challenges faced by rural communities across the state when preparing for the hazards of climate change.
The Agency of Natural Resources, in partnership with Eastern Research Group, is developing the MVI tool and a relative vulnerability assessment of Vermont municipalities. This tool will aid in the implementation of the Climate Action Plan and will be released in April 2024.