White House releases Climate Change Adaptation Interim Report

While the nation waits with baited breath for the details of forthcoming clean energy and climate legislation in the Senate, it was welcome news today to learn that President Obama’s Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force is making steady progress to deal with the impacts of climate change with the release of their interim report.  Comprised of over 20 federal agencies, the Task Force has been charged with delivering federal recommendations on how the U.S. should adapt to climate change impacts, both domestically and internationally.  The final report is due to the President by October 2010, and the interim report published today reports on the Task Force’s progress to date.

The report begins with a simple acknowledgement:  “The impacts of climate change already are being felt across the United States and the entire world…[i]t is therefore imperative to take action now to adapt to a changing climate.”

While taking steps to mitigate climate change and ocean acidification by reducing emissions is a critical first step, NRDC has strongly advocated that we must prepare for – and prevent against – the worst impacts of global warming by acting now to protect our communities and natural systems.  In fact, myself and members of NRDC’s Water Program participated in stakeholder listening sessions held by the Task Force to solicit our input as part of the development of their recommendations.

Overall, the interim report does a good job with problem identification:  “Climate change impacts are pervasive, wide-ranging and affect the core systems of our society: transportation, ecosystems, agriculture, business, infrastructure, water, and energy, among others.” 

(While this list is meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive, it is important to point out one omission: human health.  Rising temperatures, degraded air quality, greater rainfall and other extreme weather events can lead to disease outbreaks, increase illnesses among those with respiratory or heart problems, and displacement of large numbers of people, all of which can greatly affect human health and productivity.)

In its initial analysis, the interim report finds “significant gaps in the U.S. government’s approach to climate change adaptation”, including lack of a unified strategic vision and approach, lack of research programs and relevant climate change and impact information, and a poor understanding of how to address adaptation challenges at different levels of government, and among different stakeholders.

To address these gaps, the report proposes a national strategy guided by six key principles or elements:

1. Focus on integrating science into decision-making, translating new research into formats that are useful for planners and managers.
2. Build awareness and engage relevant stakeholders in developing adaptation approaches, and build capacity within agencies by providing training and resources.
3. Establish a formal approach for coordinating and collaborating on adaptation approaches across agencies and with stakeholders.
4. Prioritize approaches and areas that will most benefit from a coordinated government response.
5. Develop a consistent framework to guide how agencies respond to and implement climate change adaptation activities, and provide common tools and information.
6. Commit to continued evaluation in order to benefit from lessons learned, and incorporate these lessons into the principles above.

Overall, the report is a good first step towards developing needed recommendations for our government to guard our natural resources and our health against the impacts of global warming pollution.  It is now time for the Senate to get on with their debate and passage of strong clean energy and climate legislation.  Senators would be wise to review this report.  Additionally, NRDC recommends the following guidelines to help decision makers address climate change adaptation in legislation:

1. Establish a dedicated account to fund domestic and international adaptation needs.
2. Develop and implement strategies to maintain and improve resilience of our natural ecosystems and communities so that they can thrive in the face of changing conditions.
3. Include impacts of global warming pollution in the regulatory decisions of federal agencies.
4. Establish a federal program to support efforts to perform climate change vulnerability assessments and develop adaptation plans and projects.
5. Provide funding to restore and enhance environmental and public health monitoring and surveillance systems.
6. Fund infrastructure improvements to enhance resilience to climate change.
7. Implement policies to discourage development in ecologically vulnerable areas.
8. Protect and restore our nation’s shorelines and coastal infrastructure to protect against extreme weather events.
9. End overfishing and protect ocean habitats which will enhance the ability of our oceans to resist the worst impacts of global warming and ocean acidification.
10. Provide opportunities for the public to give input on strategies and plans developed by federal and state agencies to adapt to climate change.
11. Incorporate effective environmental criteria into federal and state decision making to ensure that adaptation planning and implementation protects natural systems.