U.S. Adaptation Activities: Enhancing Resilience

The United States has as a high priority assisting populations and regions that are particularly vulnerable to the potential adverse impacts of climate change. The U.S. undertakes a broad range of activities to assist countries in developing resilient, robust societies, economies, and ecosystems with the capacity to address the challenges and opportunities of both current and future climate conditions.

The U.S. was one of the first nations to assist developing countries to build core capacity and undertake vulnerability assessments, through its Country Studies Program (CSP). Since its inception in 1994, the CSP has helped 56 countries build the human and institutional capacities necessary to assess their vulnerability to climate change. Recent activities build off those efforts with an eye to implementing adaptation actions.

In an effort to advance thinking on adaptation, the United States recently hosted the workshop “Mobilizing Solutions for Adaptation: Enhancing Resilience”, in New Orleans, October 28-30, 2003. U.S. government agencies showcased a tremendous range of adaptation-relevant capabilities in climate research and weather prediction, water resources management, food security and sustainable agricultural production, and disaster preparedness and relief programs. Developing country and other OECD representatives highlighted their on-the-ground activities and experiences in adaptation. On average, the United States spends over $1 billion annually on adaptation-relevant activities in developing countries, including:

• $425 million per year on climate-related disaster preparedness, mitigation, and relief, including funds for watershed management, flood preparedness and response, and climate forecasting and research.

• An average of more than $17 million annually to support coastal zone management activities in developing countries, including efforts to address storm surges, sea level rise, and ecosystem, coral reef and natural resource protection.

• More than $1 million per year on vulnerability assessments and studies associated with adaptation to the potential impacts of climate change.

Examples of current U.S. development projects and programs to address adaptation to climate variability and potential climate change in developing countries include:

Enhanced African Capacity to Achieve Regional Food Security – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with governments in Eastern and Southern Africa to improve the capacity of African regional institutions to tackle the daunting food security challenges in this climatically unstable part of the world. U.S. AID is working with its partner countries to strengthen regional institutions technically and organizationally, provide the appropriate tools and technology, enhance coordination through increased networking, and create the appropriate policy environment needed to fulfill partners' regional food security agendas.

Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET). The National Atmospheric and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and USAID are working together to strengthen the capabilities of African countries and regional organizations to manage threats to food security through the provision of rainfall and vegetative cover remote sensing data, on-the-ground "ground-truthing," and scientific, economic, and other analyses that help identify vulnerabilities in food security.

Improved Management of Watersheds, Forests, and Protected Areas. USAID is providing training, technical assistance, and supplies to local governments and nongovernmental organizations in Central America and elsewhere around the world to improve their ability to develop and manage critical water supplies and water services. Particular emphasis is being placed on watersheds that are critical to drinking water supplies. These activities serve as models of effective water management in highly sensitive ecological systems.

Watershed, Coastal and Coral Reef Technical Assistance. The Department of Interior (DOI) and NOAA are assisting a number of countries in Southern and East Africa and South Asia to develop marine parks and conserve coral reefs along the coast, particularly in areas of identified biological/fisheries importance. The agencies are providing technical assistance in promoting economic and environmentally sound management of coral reefs, including the promotion of good governance, watershed management, hotel pollution prevention practices, environmentally sound tourism practices, strengthened management of parks and biologically important ecosystems, and the creation of regional networks of marine parks.

Sustainable Integrated Coastal Management in Africa. NOAA is working with the United Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) Large Marine Ecosystem Projects, the IOC Africa Global Oceans Observing System Initiative, and the U.S.-South Africa Marine and Coastal Management Working Group to promote sustainable development in the coastal areas of sub-Saharan Africa, where biodiversity and food security are threatened by environmental degradation, coastal erosion and over-fishing. NOAA provides the oceanographic data and information needed to improve natural disaster predictions and development decision-making.

RANET (New Radio and Internet Technology for Communication of Weather and Climate Information to Rural Communities for Sustainable Development). USAID and NOAA are working with a range of humanitarian and meteorological organizations to provide useful weather and climate information to rural communities through a variety of training and technological development activities. RANET, initiated in 1999, is designed to bring climate and weather-related information to rural producers to help them prevent and prepare for disasters, and to reduce their vulnerability by increasing agricultural production and food security.