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Federal Adaptation Resources
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Overview
This collection of resources by and for Federal agencies is intended to support the planning and implementation of measures to adapt to climate change. Some of the information here may also be useful to other audiences, such as businesses, natural resource managers, health practitioners, and state, local, and tribal governments. Resources range from executive orders and technical reports to programs, networks, tools, and guides.
As new resources become available, this collection will be improved and updated so as to best help agencies meet the requirements outlined in Executive Order 13653 (Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change) and the related guidance provided by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (Preparing Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans in Accordance with Executive Order 13653).
Resources by Category
Resources in this collection are grouped by categories of research and information needs identified in USGCRP's review of the FY2013 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans.
- Built Infrastructure
- Communication & Training
- Human Health
- Natural Resources
- Disaster Response
- Regional Climate Information & Modeling
- Observations & Monitoring
Relevant executive orders and policies, major national and international reports, and resources from a GreenGov Workshop on Federal adaptation planning are also included for reference.
Federal Agency Adaptation Plans
Under Executive Order 13514, President Obama directed Federal agencies to cut waste, pollution, and costs in Federal operations, and to evaluate climate-related risks in order to ensure they can continue to meet their mission and serve the American public in the face of a changing climate. In February 2013, Federal agencies released their first-ever Climate Change Adaptation Plans, outlining strategies to reduce the vulnerability of Federal programs, assets, and investments to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and more extreme weather. The Adaptation Plans are appendices to the annual Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans (SSPPs), which describe how agencies will achieve the environmental, economic, and energy goals mandated in Executive Order 13514. The SSPPs and Adaptation Plans are updated each year and made available to the public on agency websites and Performance.gov. The plans must prioritize actions based on a positive return on investment for the American taxpayer.
Use the sidebar to view the current Adaptation Plans. For more information, visit Performance.gov.
- Find plans from previous years: SSPPs | Adaptation Plans
Summaries of the 2014 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans
2014 Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans (CCAPs): Synthesis of Climate Change Vulnerabilities and Research Needs
An update to the Adaptation Science Interagency Working Group’s (ASIWG) review of FY2013 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans, this assessment aims to highlight common vulnerabilities and research needs identified in the 2014 Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans. This synthesis can help to inform the USGCRP research agenda, facilitate the production of usable science, and encourage interagency collaboration to enhance adaptation and resilience efforts across the federal government. The assessment is composed of two sections, one focused specifically on common climate change vulnerabilities, and the other on research and information needs.
Comparison of 2014 Adaptation Plans
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released a report in conjunction with Booz Allen Hamilton comparing the 38 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans submitted to the White House in 2014. The comparison was undertaken to provide information about agency climate preparedness and resilience actions to facilitate partnering and information sharing, identify actions taken by agencies with aligned missions and operations that could be useful to USACE, and support a gap analysis to guide future actions.
An update to the Adaptation Science Interagency Working Group’s (ASIWG) review of FY2013 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans, this assessment aims to highlight common vulnerabilities and research needs identified in the 2014 Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans. This synthesis can help to inform the USGCRP research agenda, facilitate the production of usable science, and encourage interagency collaboration to enhance adaptation and resilience efforts across the federal government. The assessment is composed of two sections, one focused specifically on common climate change vulnerabilities, and the other on research and information needs.
Comparison of 2014 Adaptation Plans
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released a report in conjunction with Booz Allen Hamilton comparing the 38 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans submitted to the White House in 2014. The comparison was undertaken to provide information about agency climate preparedness and resilience actions to facilitate partnering and information sharing, identify actions taken by agencies with aligned missions and operations that could be useful to USACE, and support a gap analysis to guide future actions.
Climate Change Adaptation by Federal Agencies: An Analysis of Plans and Issues for Congress
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reviewed current actions (as of January 2015) of selected Federal departments and agencies to adapt their own missions, infrastructure, operations, and personnel to projected climate change. (It does not address federal programs meant primarily to assist others to adapt, although the boundary is often hard to delineate.) This synthesis is not comprehensive. It identifies common approaches among agencies, examples of specific actions, and notable barriers the federal government faces.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reviewed current actions (as of January 2015) of selected Federal departments and agencies to adapt their own missions, infrastructure, operations, and personnel to projected climate change. (It does not address federal programs meant primarily to assist others to adapt, although the boundary is often hard to delineate.) This synthesis is not comprehensive. It identifies common approaches among agencies, examples of specific actions, and notable barriers the federal government faces.
Summary of FY2013 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans
FY2013 Summary of Research and Information Needs reportUSGCRP's Adaptation Science Interagency Working Group (ASIWG) conducted a review of the FY2013 Federal Agency Adaptation Plans to identify common research and information needs across the agencies. A summary of the top three needs was presented at the August 2013 GreenGov workshop.