The two tribal leaders on the President’s Climate Preparedness and Resilience Task Force are seeking input to help them in developing recommendations on how the federal government can respond to the needs of communities dealing with the impacts of climate change. The creation of the Task Force was announced on November 1, 2013. See our General Memorandum 13-103 (Nov. 8, 2013). The two tribal leaders on the Task Force are Karen Diver, Chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Reggie Joule, Mayor of Alaska’s Northwest Arctic Borough. Earlier this month, they distributed a “Survey for Recommendations” (copy attached). The Survey asks for responses by April 15, 2014, but on that date, the White House sent an email extending the deadline to May 2. Responses should be submitted by email to IndianCountry@who.eop.gov.
The Survey asks respondents to identify a challenge or opportunity relating to climate change preparedness planning and efforts to build resilience. The challenge or opportunity should relate to one of the four topic areas:
- Disaster Recovery and Resilience
- Built Systems: Transportation, Water, Energy, and Other Infrastructure
- Natural Resources and Agriculture
- Communities: Human Health and Community Development
Respondents are asked to present their comments in two parts. First, they are asked to “describe the challenge or opportunity as it pertains to the needs of tribal governments.” Second, they are asked to suggest “specific actions [that] can be taken at the federal level to encourage and support tribal governments in these efforts.” The Survey asks that responses be limited to no more than 1000 words.
In conjunction with the Survey, the Department of Energy is sponsoring a webinar series on the four topic areas identified in the Survey. While the webinars on the first two topics have already taken place, interested persons can still participate in the webinars on the latter two topics: Natural Resources and Agriculture, on April 24, and Communities: Human Health and Community Development, on May 1. For further information see: http://energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/new-webinar-series-address-climate-change-impacts-indian-country.
Coincidentally, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released two of its Working Group Reports as part of its Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). See http://www.ipcc.ch/. The IPCC Assessment Report is compiled by three working groups. Working Group I (WGI) deals with the Physical Science Basis of climate change. The WGI contribution to AR5 was released in September 2013. The mission of Working Group II is “Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.” The WGII contribution to AR5 was released on March 31, 2014. The mission of Working Group III is “Mitigation of Climate Change,” and the WGIII contribution to AR5 was released on April 13, 2014. A “Synthesis” Report is scheduled for release in September 2014. The IPCC documents contain a wealth of information, which interested persons may want to draw upon in formulating recommendations for the President’s Task Force.
Please let us know if we may provide additional information or assistance regarding President’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
