Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Reveals Decline in U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Despite Population and GDP Growth

Since the beginning of his presidency, President Biden has been committed to implementing the most ambitious climate agenda in history. His administration has taken significant steps to address climate change, including passing legislation that allocates over $50 billion towards climate resilience and implementing measures to reduce climate pollution across various sectors of the economy. In addition, the administration has prioritized the protection of public lands and waters and emphasized the importance of scientific guidance in decision-making.

Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and his economic plan, Bidenomics, the United States is witnessing a surge in clean energy job opportunities. Companies have announced investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy, and the country is on track to reduce carbon pollution by 50% by 2030.

Unveiling the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5)

To provide Americans with the latest scientific knowledge and understanding of climate change impacts in the United States, President Biden is proud to announce the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). This comprehensive assessment examines climate changes, their national and regional implications, and potential strategies for reducing present and future risks. The report confirms that every region of the country is already experiencing the effects of climate change while emphasizing that ambitious climate action is underway nationwide.

Increasing Mitigation and Adaptation Efforts

Various federal, state, local, and Tribal entities have significantly intensified their mitigation and adaptation efforts. Additionally, the affordability of zero-carbon and low-carbon energy options is rapidly improving. However, the report also highlights that climate change-related extreme weather events remain a rapidly escalating threat. These events cost the United States at least $150 billion annually and disproportionately affect underserved and overburdened communities.

Investments to Enhance Climate Resilience

In conjunction with the release of NCA5, President Biden is announcing over $6 billion in investments to enhance the resilience of communities across the country against the impacts of climate change. These investments will include strengthening the aging electric grid infrastructure, reducing flood risks, supporting conservation efforts, and advancing environmental justice. The administration is also providing additional resources to support climate resilience initiatives.

Bolstering America’s Electric Grid

The Department of Energy has allocated $3.9 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize and fortify the electric grid. These upgrades aim to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events, increase capacity, unlock renewable energy resources, prevent system disturbances that lead to wildfires, and incorporate advanced technologies like distributed energy resources and battery systems.

Advancing Environmental Justice

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will make $2 billion in funding available through its Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program. These grants will support community-driven projects that promote clean energy, enhance climate resilience, and empower communities to address environmental and climate justice challenges. EPA will also provide $200 million in technical assistance and capacity building support to help communities access these crucial federal resources.

Reducing Flood Risk to Communities

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is allocating $300 million in a second round of funding through the Swift Current Initiative. This funding will assist communities impacted by catastrophic flooding during the 2022-2023 flood season in becoming more resilient to future flood events. The Swift Current Initiative aims to rapidly provide mitigation assistance to those affected by flooding disasters.

Boosting Climate Resilience

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is announcing $100 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for water infrastructure upgrades that enhance drought resilience in the Western United States. This includes $50 million in project awards to improve water resource reliability and ecosystem health in Western states, as well as an additional $50 million funding opportunity for water conservation projects and hydropower upgrades. DOI is also establishing the Kapapahuliau Climate Resilience Program, with an initial funding of $20 million, to enhance the Native Hawaiian Community’s ability to navigate climate change effects while preserving their identity and capacity for adaptation.

The Department of Defense is launching a new Climate Resilience Portal at www.climate.mil to provide servicemembers with authoritative and actionable climate change information. Furthermore, the White House is publishing a synthesis of insights from roundtable discussions on climate resilience, held as part of the White House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities. This resource will inform both federal and non-federal actions, investments, and decisions aimed at building climate resilient communities.

Investing in Conservation

The Department of the Interior will allocate $166 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to address critical ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs for the National Park Service over the next nine years. These investments build upon an initial $44 million allocation earlier this year and support the America the Beautiful Initiative, which aims to restore and conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030. Additionally, the Biden-Harris Administration, in collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and various public and private partners, will announce over $140 million in grants through the America the Beautiful Challenge. These grants will support landscape-scale conservation projects across multiple states, U.S. Territories, and Tribal Nations.

Overview of the Fifth National Climate Assessment

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is a comprehensive federal effort to evaluate the state of climate science and communicate the impacts of climate change on people, communities, and ecosystems throughout the United States. NCA5 introduces a new chapter on Economics, highlighting the economic impacts and opportunities associated with climate action. Additionally, NCA5 includes a chapter on Social Systems and Justice, providing insights into how different communities perceive, experience, and respond to climate change. This chapter, along with NCA5’s ten region-specific chapters, describes the disproportionate impacts that certain communities face due to climate change.

To enhance inclusivity and accessibility, a forthcoming Spanish-language version of the entire NCA5 will be available early next year. Furthermore, the new web-based NCA Atlas enables Americans to explore climate projections specific to their state or county, providing valuable information for resilience, adaptation, and mitigation efforts.

Accompanying the release of NCA5 are 92 original…

Read More of this Story at www.whitehouse.gov – 2023-11-14 10:00:00

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