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A few days ago, I discussed the White House’s comprehensive report on potential climate change impacts on the United States. After the release of the report, the White House solicited questions via Twitter.  One of the questions we received which seemed particularly worth addressing was: "Is attention turning to adaptation rather than mitigation?"

Thanks for this question. The bottom line is that we need both. The more we are able to limit the magnitude of climate change through mitigation measures (such as energy efficiency initiatives, or switching to energy sources that do not use fossil fuel, or that use less of it), the more likely is that adapting to the impacts of climate change will be more feasible and less costly. However, because we are already seeing some of the impacts of climate change, as the report "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States" outlines, we know that some adaptation is already necessary and more will be needed. So the report highlights both the need for rapid and aggressive action if we want to avoid some of the more severe impacts, and it also illustrates some adaptation examples that we know are already being applied. What the report also says, in its recommendations section, is that we need a more focused effort to enhance understanding of how society can adapt to climate change. We currently have relatively limited knowledge regarding the best approaches to adaptation in the United States, and so in addition to the focus on reducing the climate change through mitigations measures, a clear need for more focus on adaptation is also emerging. Thanks again for the question.
 

On June 12, 2009, President Obama sent a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and federal agencies establishing an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes. It will also recommend a framework for improved stewardship, and effective coastal and marine spatial planning.

"The oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes provide jobs, food, energy resources, ecological services, recreation, and tourism opportunities, and play critical roles in our Nation’s transportation, economy, and trade, as well as the global mobility of our Armed Forces and the maintenance of international peace and security," President Obama wrote in the memorandum. "We have a stewardship responsibility to maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, coasts and Great Lakes resources for the benefit of this and future generations."

"The challenges our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes are facing are complex, and to meet these challenges we must have the participation of a wide spectrum of views from within the federal government," said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "The Task Force has a wealth of opportunity to make our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes healthier - both environmentally and economically."

The recommendations and frameworks developed by the Task Force will be cost effective and improve coordination across federal agencies. The Chair will terminate the Task Force upon the completion of its duties.

Read the President’s Proclamation on National Oceans Month

The Task Force will hold their first public meeting on August 21, 2009, in Anchorage, AK.  For more information, click here. 

The Task Force seeks input on its work from interested communities, governments, tribes, businesses, associations, non-governmental organizations and the general public.  To submit a comment to the Task Force, click here.