President Obama has issued an executive order outlining multiple strategies to bolster climate resilience of states and local governments.
On November 1, 2013, President Obama signed an Executive Order (EO) titled “Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change,” directing federal agencies to support climate resilience efforts in states and local communities. The EO establishes a State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience in order to guide federal response to communities dealing with climate impacts. It also establishes an Interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, comprising more than 25 agencies that will consider the Task Force recommendations to achieve goals set by the EO. The Task Force will provide recommendations on eliminating barriers to climate-resilient investments, modernizing grant and loan initiatives, and developing necessary information and tools. Its members include state governors, city mayors, county officials, and tribal leaders.
The EO, consistent with the June Climate Action Plan, calls on the federal government to build on current efforts and initiate new strategies to support climate resilience. Currently, more than 30 federal agencies have Climate Change Adaptation Plans with strategies to uphold their climate action measures. Federal agencies have also partnered with states and local governments to address climate impacts. The EO directs federal agencies to examine their policies and programs to remove barriers to climate-resilient investments or actions. Federal agencies will incentivize investments through guidance, grants, technical assistance, performance measures, and safety considerations. To address climate-preparedness of lands and waters, federal agencies will reform relevant policies, programs, and regulations and evaluate methods to promote natural storm barriers and protect carbon sequestration benefits of forests and lands.
The EO instructs federal agencies to facilitate development of climate-preparedness information, data, and tools for proper assessment of weather- and climate-related risks. The agencies will facilitate public access to federal climate data through the Open Data initiative’s online portal.
November 4, 2013 via Energy Solutions Forum
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