There are many areas of climate change affecting the city that we need to continue to take a look at: Sea level rise, Storm-water Runoff (specifically how the pell bridge ramp construction will affect flooding in certain areas of the city), and Air Quality.
We need to look at more opportunities for sustainable/renewable energy sources, and take another stab at collaborating with Middletown and Portsmouth on how all of the communities can assist each other in having an environmentally friendly island.
We need to find ways to be less car-centric. I think it is wonderful that a cycling network is in the works to connect areas of Aquidneck Island but it could also be designed to be more specific for the Newport streets. Utilizing a model or hybrid of various models, that have been successful in other cities, could help to facilitate Newport cycling network options. In 2018, New Orleans developed the Connect the Crescent initiative, which was a 3-month transportation network demonstration project. The benefits that the city experienced were cycling increased 20-84% over the 3 months of the project, illegal sidewalk/wrong-way riding decreased, there was a reduction in illegal lane usage, and fewer crashes.
We also need to look at how we can help owners of historic homes to be more climate change friendly and still be maintain their historic homes status. Obviously, consulting the historic society is paramount in this step, but according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation there are multiple ways in making historic homes more climate change friendly such as weather-stripping or installing minimally invasive windows to keep drafts out. A good case study to look at is the Pitot House on Bayou St. John in New Orleans on how to help a historic home become environmentally friendly.