Rhode Island may take another step toward addressing climate change issues if theGeneral Assembly passes legislation initiated by students in the environmental studies program at Brown University.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, calls for the creation of a study commission to monitor the impacts of climate change in Rhode Island and recommend responses to the government. An identical bill was introduced in the House by state Rep. David Segal, D-Providence.

The legislation also would require cities and towns to account for climate change when doing their comprehensive plans and mandate the state’s Emergency Management Agency to set up an automated system to alert the elderly about extreme weather.

The recommendations are among 26 climate change adaptation techniques spelled out in a 46-page report prepared by the Brown students.

J. Timmons Roberts, head of the environmental studies program, says he has been encouraged by legislators that the bill stands a good chance of passage as long as it doesn’t mandate any new spending.

Rhode Island has not been ignoring climate change.

The state takes part in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, in which Northeastern states auction carbon credits for utilities emitting greenhouse gases. Governor Carcieri has signed an executive order mandating that new state buildings be constructed with “green” energy-saving techniques and supported energy-saving programs. Utilities are supporting energy conservation efforts, financed by ratepayers.

Roberts said those programs are focused on mitigating or reducing the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. The work of his students — all but one are first-year master’s degree students — is based on the assumption that warming and the ancillary problems that come with it will happen during the next 20 years no matter how much mitigation is done now.

“This isn’t to say we shouldn’t cut emissions,” Roberts said. “But we also need to take steps to adapt to the changes.”

The legislation points out that average temperatures in Rhode Island have increased by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1970 and mean winter temperatures are up 4 degrees. Droughts are becoming longer, storms are getting worse, and the sea level is measurably rising.

One recommendation was that all large new buildings be required to install “green” planted roofs and to get a tax break for doing so. That had to be cut, Roberts said, because legislators don’t want to see any reductions in revenues during this financially troubled year.

The report also recommended appropriating a half-million dollars to plant trees in urban areas to absorb carbon dioxide and reduce overheating during heat waves, but that, too, had to be cut for financial reasons. But Roberts said he hopes other ways can be found to increase the state’s canopy of trees.

“I think this is the beginning of a multi-year effort,” he said.

The climate change report from Brown can be viewed at http://envstudies.brown.edu/Summary-RIClimateChangeAdaptation.pdf. A copy of the climate change bill can be viewed at http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/billtext10/senatetext10/s2439.pdf .