In 2018, the following activities took place:
- Quick Link to the Recorded Webinars and Presentations in the 2018 Webinar Series on Ecosystem Climate and Communities
- A March 2018 EWG report describing major Council decision types that may benefit from increased ecosystem science input.
- An April 2018 EWG report with suggestions for issues for discussion at the May 2018 Nature Conservancy workshop on climate change and fishing communities.
- A May 15-16 workshop sponsored by The Nature Conservancy to further the objectives of this initiative, and provide information in support of a climate initiative.
- A September 2018 EWG report reviewing information gathering activities conducted up to that time and recommending that the Council consider using climate change scenario planning as a vehicle to accomplish the goal of this initiative. In response, the Council formed the Ad Hoc Climate Scenario Investigation Committee (CSI), composed of Council members Caren Braby, Rich Lincoln, and John Ugoretz to consider how scenario planning efforts could advance the Climate and Communities Initiative. The CSI reported back to the Council in November 2018 with a set of tasks for the EWG to lay the groundwork for conducting a scenario planning exercise beginning in 2019.