There is finally some encouraging news about climate change, and Rhode Islanders have the Heartland Institute to thank for it.

The conservative “think” tank, whose logo features a green leaf — see how environmentally conscious they are? — has examined Rhode Island’s changing climate and concluded there is no crisis.

What a relief.

This is particularly reassuring in a state with 400 miles of coastline, numerous low-lying communities and an economy that depends heavily on the ocean.

Take Island Park in Portsmouth, where residents can enjoy beautiful waterfront views while contemplating whether the next storm will leave their cars where they parked them.

In Bristol, residents near the Silver Creek Watershed can likewise rest easy. The harbor may rise, but apparently there is no crisis. It’s merely water demonstrating a healthy interest in real estate.

And in Little Compton, residents near Sakonnet Point can taken comfort in knowing that erosion, rising seas and increasingly intense coastal storms are apparently nothing to worry about.

The Heartland report is full of “good news” like that.

Rhode Island has warmed by about 4 degrees since 1900. But the report points out that warmer temperatures mean fewer nights below zero — and cold weather kills people.

See? If a problem produces one benefit, the problem itself disappears.

The report also notes that Rhode Island’s worst droughts occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. Wonderful again. Apparently, if something bad happened 60 years ago, there is no reason to worry about it happening again.

The report does acknowledge that sea level is rising along the Rhode Island coast. But because the rise is occurring at a steady rate rather than a sudden spike, everyone can relax. That should be particularly comforting to someone standing in Island Park watching the water come up the street. Who wants an unpredictable ocean, anyway? A steadily rising ocean is much more civilized. It presumably makes appointments.

And let’s not forget the Ocean State’s turkeys, bees and oysters, the report reminds us. Rhode Island’s turkey population has increased 705 percent since 1997, while honey production has increased 601 percent. The oyster industry is also doing well. It is unclear what turkeys, honey and oysters have to do with whether climate change poses a threat to Rhode Island, but they certainly make the news more pleasant.

Perhaps the state’s climate policy should be revised. Instead of reducing carbon emissions, Rhode Island could simply open an oyster bar. Imagine how much more pleasant climate conferences would be if they served oysters instead of PowerPoint presentations.

There is, of course, a serious point beneath the sarcasm.

Climate change does not have to make every aspect of life worse to be a serious problem. A warmer winter may mean fewer deaths from extreme cold. A thriving oyster industry is certainly worth celebrating.

None of that negates rising seas, coastal flooding, drought, extreme heat and other risks associated with a changing climate. Rhode Island needs an honest assessment of what is happening, what risks are increasing and what communities can do about them.

Residents of Island Park, Bristol’s waterfront neighborhoods and coastal Little Compton don’t need to be told the ocean is a crisis. They can see it.

But the Heartland Institution doesn’t want you to fret about all that, so print the report out and keep it on the refrigerator.

Right next to the evacuation map.