Overview of EPA’s Draft
Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Lesley Jantarasami
Presentation to National Tribal Forum
May 23, 2012
Overview
• Adaptation Across the Federal Government
• EPA’s Adaptation Efforts to Date
• Key Elements of Draft EPA Adaptation Plan
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Adaptation Across the Federal Government
• Interagency Climate Change Adaptation
Task Force formed in spring 2009
• The Task Force includes over 20 federal
agencies
• Two major reports to the President from the
Task Force, in 2010 and 2011
• Every federal agency is required to produce an adaptation plan
• A Task Force Guiding Principle:
Prioritize the most vulnerable: Adaptation plans should
prioritize helping people, places, and infrastructure that are
most vulnerable to climate impacts and be designed with
meaningful involvement from all parts of society.
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• Three cross-cutting national strategies to address key issues
related to climate adaptation:
– National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources
in a Changing Climate
– Draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
– Draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan
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EPA’s Adaptation Efforts
• EPA’s FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan
discusses integrating climate change
adaptation into various Agency
processes
• In June 2011, the Administrator signed a
Policy Statement on Adaptation
– EPA will develop and implement a Climate
Change Adaptation Plan to integrate climate
adaptation into the Agency’s programs, policies,
rules, and operations.
– Every Program and Regional Office will produce
a more detailed adaptation Implementation Plan.
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Cross-EPA Adaptation Planning Workgroup
• Charge: To develop and implement a climate change
adaptation plan for EPA
– Set priorities for the Agency
– Lead to development of Program Office and Regional Office
Implementation Plans
– Develop improved performance measures
• “One EPA” approach
– Representatives from almost every Program and Regional Office
– Open and inclusive process
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Draft EPA Adaptation Plan:
Vision of the Future EPA
EPA continues to fulfill its mission of
protecting human health and the
environment even as the climate
changes.
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Considering Climate Impacts
• Examples of climate impacts considered include:
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Increasing extreme temperatures
Increasing ozone pollution
Increasing frequency or intensity of wildfires
Increasing heavy precipitation events
Sea-level rise
Ocean acidification
Melting permafrost
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Considering Vulnerabilities to EPA Mission
• Areas examined include:
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Air Quality
Water Quality
Contaminated Sites
Chemicals
Agency Facilities and Operations
• The forthcoming Implementation Plans that will be produced
by every EPA Regional Office will capture regional
differences in vulnerabilities.
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Tribal Vulnerabilities
• Indigenous people are among the most vulnerable
communities in North America.
• Tribes generally have fewer resources to prepare for,
respond to, and recover from natural hazards, including
those related to climate change.
• The disproportionate vulnerability of tribes to climate
change has implications for EPA’s mission to protect
human health and the environment in Indian country.
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Mainstreaming Adaptation in EPA
• Adaptation Plan discusses Agency priorities including:
– Strengthening adaptive capacity of EPA staff and partners
through training
– Developing decision-support tools that enable EPA staff and
partners to integrate adaptation planning into their work
– Developing Program and Regional Office Implementation
Plans
– Partnering with tribes to increase adaptive capacity
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Addressing Tribal Adaptation-Related
Priorities
• Supporting the development of adaptive capacity in tribes
and identify clear steps for ongoing collaboration.
• Working with tribes to identify and support the use of
climate change relevant Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
• Leveraging existing EPA partnerships with tribes and tribal
networks.
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For Additional Information
http://www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation/
Joel D. Scheraga, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation
Office of Policy
scheraga.joel@epa.gov
Gerald (Jerry) Filbin, Ph.D.
Office of Policy
filbin.gerald@epa.gov
Thank you!
Lesley Jantarasami
Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Atmospheric Programs
jantarasami.lesley@epa.gov
www.epa.gov/climatechange
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