Adaptation Human and Otherwise: Lessons from Evolving US Climate

Change Policy and Programs

Nora N. Devoe, PhD.Director, Research and InnovationNorthern Territory Government

Formerly:National Science AdvisorBureau of Land ManagementUS Department of Interior

• Definitions• Adaptation: Plants and

Animals, Individuals and Societies

• US Climate Change response programmes

• Australian Points of Departure

Climate Change Adaptation: Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects (IPCC 2001)

Climate Change Mitigation:Changes and substitutions that reduce resource inputs and emissions per unit of output…. implementing policies to reduce GHG emissions and enhance sinks (IPCC AR4 2007)

Policy:A course of action adopted and pursued by a government (OED 1991)

US Federal land is concentrated in the western region. Nationally federal land is 30% of the total area; DOI is 20%

Impact of a Century of Climate Change on Small-Mammal Communities in Yosemite National Park, USA Moritz et al. 2008 Science 322: 261-264 …….a century of small-mammal responses to global warming, without confounding effects of land-use change, through repeating Grinnell's early–20th century survey across a 3000-meter-elevational gradient that spans Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Using occupancy modeling to control for variation in detectability, we show substantial (500 meters on average) upward changes in elevational limits for half of 28 species monitored, consistent with the observed 3°C increase in minimum temperatures……..

LCC Functions• Convene partners• Coordinate activities across

partners• Integrate activities under a

regional strategy for adaptation

• Pool skills and resources• Prioritise science needs and

convey to CSCs• Apply CSC products in

adaptive management partnerships.

Northcentral

SoutheastSouthcentral

Southwest

Northwest

Northeast

Alaska

Pacific Islands

US Climate Science Centres

NEON Design

• 20 Geographically distributed domains• Instrumented sites to collect atmospheric,

chemical, physical, and biological measurements

• Remotely sensed data• Site-based experiments• Bio-collections facilities and archives• Computational, analytical, and modeling

capabilities• Networked infrastructure

NEON Infrastructure

US MITIGATION ACTIONS• Promote renewable energy

development• Reduce GHG emissions from

government operations and permitted activities

• Sequester carbon– Biological– Geological

“The Obama administration said Monday it was moving forward with oil-drilling leases off the coast of Alaska issued by the Bush administration in 2008, a victory for oil companies in the battle over Arctic Ocean drilling.

The Interior Department's decision is the latest example of the Obama administration siding with energy companies against environmentalists amid a weak economy”. WSJ 5/10/11

Take Home Message:

Participate in policy formulation

Speak up for the environment

Reduce personal energy and material consumption