The U.S. Department of Commerce has released its updated Climate Adaptation Plan, joining over 20 federal agencies in expanding efforts to ensure federal operations are increasingly resilient to the impacts of climate change. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's broader National Climate Resilience Framework, which aims to align climate resilience investments across both public and private sectors through common principles and coordinated actions.
Communities across the United States are facing the direct effects of climate change, including extreme heat, wildfires, and flooding. In response, the Biden-Harris Administration is working to assess, manage, and reduce these risks. The Department of Commerce is implementing protocols to create a climate-ready workforce, resilient facilities, lands and waters, climate-resilient supply chains, operational climate data and tools for decision-making, and integrating climate resilience into external funding opportunities.
"The Commerce Department is prepared to leverage all of its bureaus and our dedicated workforce to ensure this administration and communities across the nation have the data, tools, and resources they need to mitigate the impacts of climate change while building a better, more resilient America," stated Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
At the start of his administration, President Biden directed federal agencies to lead comprehensive efforts against climate change through Executive Order 14008. This directive came after a record year in which the nation experienced 28 individual billion-dollar extreme weather and climate disasters causing over $90 billion in damages.
The Department of Commerce initially released its Climate Adaptation Plan in 2021 and followed up with progress reports in 2022. In coordination with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Management and Budget, agencies have updated their Climate Adaptation Plans for 2024-2027 to better integrate climate risk into their missions, operations, and asset management.
Further details on these plans can be found at www.sustainability.gov/adaptation. Additional information is available in the White House Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Releases Agency Climate Adaptation Plans.
