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From: "Makuch, Joseph" <
Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Nov 9, 2011 11:56 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Climate Change and Water News
To: <
Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From:
water_climate_change@epa.gov [mailto:
water_climate_change@epa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 5:37 PM
Subject: EPA Climate Change and Water News
EPA Climate Change and Water News
U.S. EPA News
Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force Releases 2011 Progress Report: Federal Actions for a Climate Resilient Nation
The Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force has released a report outlining the federal government's progress in expanding and strengthening U.S. capacity to better understand, prepare for, and respond to extreme events and other climate change impacts. The report provides an update on actions in key areas of federal adaptation, including: building resilience in local communities, safeguarding critical natural resources such as freshwater, and providing accessible climate information and tools to help decision-makers manage climate risks. This report follows the Task Force's October 2010 Progress Report to the President that recommended that the federal government strengthen the Nation's capacity to better understand and manage climate-related risks. To read the press release, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/28/taking-action-protect-our-nation-climate-change-impacts .
To view the 2011 Progress Report, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ceq/2011_adaptation_progress_report.pdf .
EPA Posts Presentations from Consequences of Global Climate Change: Water Quality Impacts, Ecological Impacts & Nonlinear Responses Meeting Online
EPA's National Center for Environmental Research, Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grantees gathered on September 20-22, 2011 to discuss and present the objectives, approaches, and plans for their new research projects. A quantitative investigation was taken up by researchers on how climate change, climate variability and land use change: (1) influences the establishment, abundance and distribution of invasive species; (2) interacts with invasive species to create feedbacks that increase their success; (3) interacts with invasive species to cause threshold responses in natural and managed systems; or (4) affects the chemical, biological and mechanical management of invasive species. The challenge to assemble modeling systems capable of capturing important linkages between regional climate drivers and terrestrial hydrologic systems and to apply these modeling systems to improve the overall understanding of the sensitivity of key water
quality of aquatic ecosystem management targets to the types of climate changes anticipated over the next several decades was the basis of several investigators research. The presentations are now online and can be viewed at:
http://epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2011/09_20_11_calendar.html .
Other Federal Agency News
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Releases the Final National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate
In October 2010, the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force published a Progress Report to the President identifying freshwater resources as a priority area for greater attention. In June 2011, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released a draft "National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate," for public review and comment. CEQ has now released the final plan, taking into account public comment. The final national action plan is to be used as the foundation for federal agency efforts to manage freshwater resources as the climate changes. It is designed to help freshwater resource managers assure adequate water supplies, safeguard water quality and aquatic ecosystems, and protect human life, health and property. To read the press release, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/28/taking-action-protect-our-nation-climate-change-impacts . To access the report, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ceq/2011_national_action_plan.pdf .
U.S. Department of the Interior Releases Report: Strengthening the Scientific Understanding of Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Resources of the United States
This report assesses the status of scientific information available to help understand the impacts of climate change and other stressors on U.S. freshwater resources and calls for modernization of systems to help monitor and sustain water supplies. The report also reviews the state of existing science and identifies strategies for improving systems to collect climate-related data and water monitoring information. The improvements are intended to help water managers predict, respond and adapt to the effects of climate change on the nation's freshwater supplies so that they can help ensure adequate water quantity and quality. The report was prepared by a federal interagency panel led by the U.S. Geological Survey and in conjunction with the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To view the full report, visit:
http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&pageid=260567 .
Other News
Ceres Develops New Tool - The Ceres Aqua Gauge: A Framework for 21st Century Water Risk Management
The Aqua Gauge introduces a new framework and tool for assessing corporate water risk management. The tool was developed through collaboration with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Irbaris, and IRRC Institute in consultation with representatives from over 50 financial institutions, companies, and NGOs. The Ceres Aqua GaugeTM builds on the Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability, and focuses on governance and management, stakeholder engagement and disclosure. This flexible Excel-based tool allows investors to score a company's water management activities against detailed definitions of leading practice. The tool also benefits companies by giving them a resource to inform and strengthen their own water management strategies. Designed to enable both rapid and more comprehensive analysis, the Aqua Gauge gives investors the option to assess the company against a short list - or "Quick Gauge" - of core management practices appropriate to the company's risk prof!
ile as well as assessing a comprehensive set of corporate-level practices that provide a more detailed picture of the company's water management approach. To learn more and to download the tool, visit:
http://www.ceres.org/issues/water/aqua-gauge/aqua-gauge .
Syracuse University to Host Growing Green Infrastructure in New York on November 16 - 17, 2011 in Syracuse, NY
This two-day series of events consists of professional development trainings, tours of green infrastructure sites, and a full-day conference on November 17, 2011 with panels, speakers and sessions on green infrastructure in the Northeast. Additional information and registration is available at:
http://efc.syracusecoe.org/efc/events.html?skuvar=32 .
California Governor Plans Climate Conference in San Francisco, CA on December 15, 2011
Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies will be the focus of a conference that California Governor Jerry Brown has planned for December 15, 2011 in San Francisco. The California Natural Resources Agency is expected to unveil the agenda for the program, which will be held at the California Academy of Sciences next week. In 2009, the agency released a climate adaptation strategy for the state summarizing potential climate impacts and recommending steps the state can take to manage those threats. More recently, the agency and the California Energy Commission released a web-based climate change adaptation tool, Cal-Adapt, local planning agencies, governments, and the public can use to identify potential climate change risks in specific areas of the state. Cal-Adapt is available at:
http://cal-adapt.org .
National Academies to Host Workshop: A National Strategy for Advancing Climate Modeling April 27 - 28, 2011 at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado
Climate models are the foundation for understanding and projecting climate and climate-related changes and are thus critical tools for supporting climate-related decision making. This workshop will discuss developing a national strategy for advancing climate modeling over the next 10-20 years and will draw upon input from leaders within the community to deeply understand these challenges and to gather ideas for how to begin to face them. If you are interested in attending the sessions that are open to the public or would like more information, visit:
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/meetingview.aspx?MeetingId=5024 .
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EPA Climate Change and Water News is produced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). For more information on EPA's climate change activities, visit
http://epa.gov/climatechange. For an overview of climate change and water issues, visit
http://www.epa.gov/ow/climatechange.
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