LA PLATA, Md., June 25, 2025 — Charles County Government, in collaboration with the Resilience Authority of Charles County, Inc., and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), launched the first-ever Charles County Climate Adaptation Report Card on June 13, 2025, at the Blue Crabs Environmental Resources event at Regency Furniture Stadium. The report card provides a comprehensive assessment of the county’s resilience to climate-related threats, such as flooding and extreme heat, while evaluating progress on community and county-wide adaptation efforts.
The report card, which scored Charles County’s overall resilience at a B-, examines three key areas: Environment, Human Well-being, and Flooding. It highlights strengths in existing initiatives while identifying areas for improvement, particularly in addressing vulnerabilities to riverine flooding, extreme temperatures, and severe weather events like storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Charles County is the first in the nation and the world to assess both resilience and vulnerability simultaneously in a single report card, offering a model for other communities.
“This inaugural report card establishes an accountability and progress metric for adaptation efforts,” said Stacy Schaefer, Executive Director of the Resilience Authority. “By identifying indicators that can measure progress, we are taking a necessary step toward enhancing climate adaptation efforts by recognizing that while we have accomplished much, we still have work to do as climate change continues.”
The assessment, developed by UMCES’s Integration and Application Network, was funded by the Resilience Authority and supported by the Charles County Office of Climate Resilience and Sustainability. It includes a detailed individual and community scorecard, available at www.CharlesCountyMD.gov/government/climateadaptation-report-card, encouraging residents to evaluate their own preparedness. The scorecard covers practices like maintaining storm drains, using rain barrels, weatherizing homes, and avoiding harmful pesticides or fertilizers.
“The Climate Adaptation Report Card represents an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to strengthen Charles County’s resilience to climate change,” said Deb Hall, Acting County Administrator for Charles County Government. “This work reflects our commitment to protecting our communities, infrastructure, and natural resources today and for generations to come.”
Dr. Katie May Laumann, Associate Director of Research at UMCES, emphasized the report’s significance, stating, “This report card exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to climate resilience, demonstrating how scientific data can be effectively translated into actionable strategies that benefit communities.”
The report card’s development began in March 2023, when the Resilience Authority approved its creation. A stakeholder workshop in December 2023 and online meetings in February 2024 helped finalize key indicators, ensuring community priorities were reflected. The completed report was presented to the Board of County Commissioners on May 6, 2025, before its public launch.
Charles County faces increasing flood frequency due to climate change, alongside risks from extreme weather. The report card quantifies progress in building healthy ecosystems—such as forests, wetlands, and shorelines—that help mitigate these threats. It also prioritizes equitable resilience efforts, focusing on underserved communities to ensure climate impacts are not disproportionately harmful.
Residents can access the full report and individual scorecard online to track their contributions to climate resilience. The county encourages practices like recycling, composting, using electric vehicles, and planting trees to enhance environmental health. For more details, visit the Charles County Climate Adaptation Report Card website.
The initiative underscores Charles County’s commitment to sustainability and adaptation, setting a precedent for integrating scientific assessment with community action to address climate challenges.
