Climate Change Adaptation Task Force

In 2009, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) initiated the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, which includes representatives from more than 20 Federal Agencies.  When the President signed the Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, on October 5, 2009, he called on the Task Force to develop, within one year, Federal recommendations for adapting to climate change impacts both domestically and internationally.
See http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/adaptation

Interim Progress Report

On March 16, 2010, the Task Force released an Interim Progress Report  which outlines the Task Force’s progress to date and recommends key components to include in a national strategy on climate change adaptation.  These six components include:

1. Integration of Science into Adaptation Decisions and Policy 
2. Communications and Capacity-building
3. Coordination and Collaboration
4. Prioritization
5. A Flexible Framework for Agencies
6. Evaluation

The Interim Progress Report is available for 60 days of public comment.  Submit your comment here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/adaptation/submit

Workgroups

The Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force formed workgroups to consider the capabilities of the Federal Government to respond to the impacts of climate change on various critical sectors, institutions, and agency mission responsibilities. The workgroups are focused on the following topics:

• Agency Adaptation: Develop recommendations on how agencies should plan and implement adaptation efforts.
• Science Inputs to Policy: Develop recommendations to couple the production of scientific and technical support to adaptation planning, prioritization, and resilience building within the USG, in the US, and internationally.
• Insurance: Develop recommendations on opportunities for the United States Government to support insurance and adaptation issues.
• Water Resources Adaptation: Develop recommendations on how Federal water management agencies should plan and implement adaptation actions related to climate impacts on water resources.
• International Resilience: Develop recommendations on opportunities for the United States Government to support and lead international adaptation efforts.
• Health: Develop recommendations focused on educating and communicating with policymakers, public health officials, healthcare professionals, and the public; building early warning systems, identifying vulnerable populations; forecasting, modeling, and predicting the health impacts of climate change; and building capacity to better prepare for and respond to those impacts.
• Fish, Wildlife and Plants: Develop recommendations on how Federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments should plan and implement adaptation efforts related to climate impacts on wildlife, fish, and plants.
• Structure for Coordination and Collaboration: Develop recommendations on the structure for U.S. Government adaptation efforts and on how Federal agencies can coordinate adaptation activities with other Federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, and the private sector and civil society.
• Urban: Develop recommendations on how Federal agencies in conjunction with state, local, and tribal governments can implement adaptation efforts related to climate impacts on urban environments, communities and infrastructure.
• Coasts and Oceans: Develop recommendations to strengthen resiliency of coastal communities and marine and Great Lakes environments and their abilities to adapt to climate change impacts and ocean acidification. 
• Land: Develop recommendations on how Federal land management agencies in conjunction with state, local, and tribal governments and private landholders can address adaptation related to climate impacts on land.
• Communications: Develop recommendations on how the Federal Government can better communicate messages regarding climate change adaptation and resilience within and outside the government.

Listening Sessions

The Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force workgroups have hosted twenty listening sessions with key stakeholders and experts.  The listening sessions are designed to engage the expertise and recommendations of external organizations into the workgroup deliberations early in this review process. 

Final Product

In October 2010, the Task Force will report to the President on the development of domestic and international dimensions of a U.S. approach to climate change adaptation and what Federal Agencies are doing to support this effort. The Task Force also will recommend additional aspects to consider in the development of a comprehensive national strategy.