NASA, FEMA Release Comprehensive Climate Action Guide

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have produced a reference guide for adapting to and reducing the effects of climate change.

The guide, Building Alliances for Climate Action contains a variety of climate change viewpoints, stories, insights, and resources to assist individuals and groups in making informed decisions.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said "NASA's Earth observation and research supports the Biden-Harris Administration's climate agenda, which outlines putting the climate crisis at the center of our nation's foreign policy and national security.

"NASA is working hand in hand with FEMA to ensure communities across the U.S. and around the world have the resources they need to adapt in the face of extreme weather – which is increasing due to climate change."

The book is the result of the Alliances for Climate Action, a virtual series co-hosted by NASA and FEMA last year to address the growing demand for accurate, timely, and actionable information in the face of accelerating global climate change.

"Speakers presented their thoughts and paths to bolstering collective climate action over the series.

"To meet this moment, we need to invest in initiatives to break the cycles of disaster, damage and reconstruction," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

"Our actions now will directly impact the future. In the past, FEMA was criticized for insufficient action on climate change. This will not be our future." 

In addition to climate and Earth science, NASA and FEMA collaborate in other ways. NASA's Disasters Program works with FEMA and other disaster response organisations, decision-makers, and local governments to offer Earth-observing data and applied research results before, during, and after natural disasters.

In order to construct resilient communities, NASA data informs decisions, supports decisions, and directs actions.

The Disasters Mapping Portal of NASA provides data on current occurrences in near-real time.

Nelson announced a concept for NASA's Earth Information Center to improve access to key information, which is an opportunity for the agency to use its data and modelling capabilities to collaborate with trusted government and community partners with longstanding engagement in climate-affected communities.