On May 31 2022, AGU sent a letter to leadership in the House of Representatives and the Senate endorsing the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy (NCARS) Act. 

On behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and our community of 130,000 worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, I am writing to thank you for introducing H.R.6461, the National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy (NCARS) Act, and to offer AGU’s official endorsement for this important bill.

 

As our communities become increasingly affected by climate-related impacts, from wildfires to flooding to extreme storms and drought, it is becoming ever more imperative that we take action to help our nation moderate the destructive consequences and help our people cope and adapt. Done strategically, efficiently, and equitably, the needed transformations provide a pathway toward greater prosperity and well-being, while inaction will prove very costly for human and other life on the planet.

 

AGU supports the bill’s goal of establishing a coordinated national effort to help communities build resilience to climate change, especially those that are particularly vulnerable and have less capacity to adapt. Such a focus is especially important, as we know that climate change will have uneven effects and is expected to worsen pre-existing inequalities. AGU also applauds the bill’s acknowledgement that a national strategy must be adaptable as new scientific developments emerge related to climate change, resilience, and adaptation.

 

Given our strong shared interests on the goals of this legislation, AGU appreciates your leadership and looks forward to working with you on this critical issue in the future.