Climate Impacts and Costs

The report details the environmental and economic risks Maine faces due to climate change, including sea level rise, extreme precipitation, drought, and rising temperatures. It quantifies risks such as the potential inundation of 3,700 homes and the threat to a $600 million fishing industry, while providing comprehensive lists of necessary infrastructure and policy adaptations to mitigate these costs.

• Sea levels in Maine are rising, with an average increase of 1 to 4 feet estimated by the end of the century, though a high emissions scenario could see over 8 feet of rise by 2100. A 4-foot rise would inundate over 3,700 homes, two power plants, and a sewage plant, putting more than $950 million in property value at risk.
• Extreme precipitation in the northeastern United States increased by over 60% from 1958-2021, and events are predicted to increase another 50% by the end of the century. In Maine, an extreme precipitation event on October 30-31, 2021, caused $2.4 million in damage to public infrastructure, and the state's Department of Transportation estimates 2,300 culverts valued at $77 million are at risk of being overtopped.
• Maine is experiencing more frequent short-term droughts and 'snow droughts,' which threaten the $68 million winter recreation industry and drinking water for the approximately 45% of the population relying on shallow wells. Past droughts have caused significant agricultural losses, such as a 60% loss for wild blueberry farmers.
• Average annual temperatures in Maine have risen by about 3.5°F since the start of the 20th century, with projections of a 2 to 4°F increase by 2050. This warming contributes to increased vector-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, and disrupts the $600 million fishing industry; specifically, lobster harvests declined by 26% from 2016 to 2022 due to disrupted food chains.
• The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 97% of the world's ocean surfaces, leading to constant ocean heat waves and acidification. This has already forced a moratorium on the northern shrimp industry since 2013.

APA

Center for Climate Integrity (2024). Climate Impacts and Costs. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Maine-ImpactsAndCosts-2024.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Integrity. Climate Impacts and Costs. 2024. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Maine-ImpactsAndCosts-2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Integrity |title=Climate Impacts and Costs |date=2024 |url=https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Maine-ImpactsAndCosts-2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimateintegrity2024climate, author = {{Center for Climate Integrity}}, title = {{Climate Impacts and Costs}}, institution = {Center for Climate Integrity}, year = {2024}, url = {https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Maine-ImpactsAndCosts-2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }