Climate Programs

There are a growing number of tribal programs, government and non-government agencies and programs addressing climate change across the United States. This page includes tribal, federal and NGO climate change programs.

Title Organization Sort descending Description Geography Website
Public Health Working Group for the Climate Action Team State of California

The Public Health Working Group's task is to address cross-cutting issues related to climate change and health. The Working Group is responsible for providing public health input into the AB 32 implementation process, as well as other public health issues related to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Categories: Public Health, climate change, adaptation, planning, mitigation

California Link
The Hoonah Native Forest Partnership Sustainable Southeast Partnership

The Hoonah Native Forest Partnership (HNFP) is a science-based, landscape scale, community forest approach to watershed planning and project implementation. The overall goal of the HNFP is to achieve a measurable and resilient blend of timber, salmon and deer production, local economic diversification and improved watershed health. The HNFP is one of southeast Alaska’s premiere all-lands, all-hands initiatives and our hopes is that this effort can be used as a model for other areas in the region.

Categories: science, community forest, watershed planning, implementation, natural resources, wildlife conservation, watershed health

Alaska Link
Climate Change: Native Voices from the Pacific Northwest Coast Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

This short film depicts Indigenous Pacific Northwest Coast views on impacts from projected changes due to sea level rise and storm surge.

Categories: Tribal Health, health, climate change impacts, environmental healht, food safety, natural resources, cultural resources

Washington Link
Indigenous Health Indicators Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

The overarching aims of the project are to create and test a set of community-based indicators of indigenous health specific to Native American tribal communities in the Puget Sound/ Salish Sea region of the Pacific Northwest. Indigenous Health Indicators (IHIs) are necessary because current U.S. government public health regulations and policies are based on a position that views risks and impacts as objective measures of dose-response assessments and physiological morbidity or mortality outcomes but does not otherwise connect them to social or cultural beliefs and values integral to Native American definitions of health.

Categories: Public health, Tribal Health, TK, Environmental Health, Climate Change, data

Washington, Puget Sound, Pacific Northwest Link
Coastal Resilience Network The Nature Conservancy and Others

Coastal Resilience supports a community of practitioners around the world who are applying spatial planning innovations to coastal hazard risk, resilience and adaptation issues. This is a global network providing access to peer practitioners, tools, information and training focused on nature-based solutions.

National, International Link
Advanced Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer The Oregon Department of Forestry

The Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer is designed to increase wildfire awareness, give a comprehensive view of wildfire risk and local fire history, and educate users about wildfire prevention and mitigation resources. The site provides decision support for homeowners, communities, and professionals to identify and prioritize local fire prevention and mitigation efforts.

Categories: wildfire, prevention, planning, mitigation, natural hazard

Oregon Link
Tribal Healthy Homes Network THHN

The Tribal Healthy Homes Network is a tribally-led coalition that strives to find and share solutions for healthy, sustainable, and safe housing. We search for and help develop effective programs, and share our results with tribes. We also serve as a clearinghouse for technical support, program guidance, resources, and funding.

Categories: Tribal Health, healthy housing, technical support, funding

National Link
Alaska Native Science Commission Tribal Entity

The Alaska Native Science Commission (ANSC) was established in 1994 to bring together research and science in partnership with the Native community. It serves as a clearinghouse for proposed research, an information base for ongoing and past research and an archive for significant research involving the Native community. ANSC provides information, referral and networking services for researchers seeking active partners in the Native community and communities seeking research partners.

Categories: research, clearinghouse, ethics

Alaska, Arctic Link
Climate Change and Human Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) considers climate change to be one of the top public health challenges of our time. Our mission to protect the health and well-being of people in the United States depends on healthy and sustainable environments.

Categories: Public Health, climate change, resources, information

National Link
Hot-Dry-Windy Index (HDW) U.S. Forest Service, St. Cloud University

The Hot-Dry-Windy Index (HDW) was designed to help users determine which days are more likely to have adverse atmospheric conditions that make it more difficult to manage a wildland fire. It combines weather data from the surface and low levels of the atmosphere into a first-look product.

Categories: wildfire management, weather conditions, prevention

National Link
US Coastal Property at Risk from Rising Seas Union of Concerned Scientists

This national analysis, by the Union of Concerned Scientists, identifies the number of US homes at risk from chronic flooding over the coming decades due to sea level rise. It also shows the current property value, estimated population, and portion of the property tax base at risk. Information is available by state, community, and zip code. For this analysis, chronic flooding is defined to be flooding that occurs 26 times or more per year, a level of disruption also referred to as chronic inundation. Two time frames are featured. The first falls within the lifespan of a 30-year mortgage issued today. The second extends out to 2100, when more than 2.4 million of today's homes could be at risk. The challenges and choices that come with rising seas are profound and have significant implications for coastal residents, communities, and the broader economy. We explore these implications in the closing section.

Categories: chronic flooding, rising sea level, coastal communities, relocation, infrastructure,

US coastlines Link
Native Communities and Climate Change Internet Database- University of Colorado Law School University of Colorado

With funding from Western Water Assessment and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), this Project is developing an on-line database for Indian tribes and organizations working with tribal communities to obtain relevant climate change adaption information. The web-based database currently contains 300+ documents focused on climate change science and impacts, planning, policy, tools, and examples to help inform tribal adaptation and natural resource strategies. The website also contains an interactive map of relevant activities and links to individuals and organizations working on tribal adaptation efforts.

Categories: Drought, Adaptation

National Link
University of Washington Climate Impacts Group (CIG) University of Washington

The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group (CIG) studies the impacts of natural climate variability and global climate change, focusing mostly on the Pacific Northwest. The CIG has partnerships with tribes in the Pacific Northwest, engages in outreach efforts that include meetings, workshops, and webinars, presentations, consultations, and technical assistance, and is a source of scientific projections, impacts assessments, and tools and resources for climate change adaptation planning and vulnerability assessment.

Categories: Adaptation, Vulnerability Assessment

Northwest, National Link
White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (Obama Administration Archive) US Executive Office of the President

Through interagency working groups and coordination with other EOP components, CEQ works to advance the President’s agenda. It also balances competing positions, and encourages government-wide coordination, bringing Federal agencies, state and local governments, and other stakeholders together on matters relating to the environment, natural resources and energy. In addition, CEQ oversees the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive. The role of the Federal Environmental Executive is to promote sustainable environmental stewardship throughout the Federal government. In addition, CEQ oversees Federal agency implementation of the environmental impact assessment process and acts as a referee when agencies disagree over the adequacy of such assessments.

Categories: Coordination, Advisory, Regulatory

National Link
Arctic Science Portal USARC

To facilitate access to the broad array of data available on the Arctic, this portal can be thought of as a library of links (URLs) to websites where Arctic data are made publicly available. The portal directs users to appropriate websites based on topic and short description (e.g., Arctic weather, sea ice conditions, fisheries information, Arctic oceanography, oil spill response research). It's a tool that directs users to available information on the Arctic sorted in the main categories of Society, Environment, Economics, Reference, and Organizations.

Categories: Arctic, Climate Database

Arctic, International, Alaska Link
Rural Development (RD) Business-Cooperative Service USDA

Through its Business Programs, USDA Rural Development provides for business credit needs in under-served rural areas, often in partnership with private-sector lenders, through both grants and loans.

Categories: Development, Business, Assistance

National Link
Rural Development (RD) Energy Programs USDA

These programs have funds available to complete energy audits and feasibility studies, complete energy efficiency improvements, install renewable energy systems. Their programs help convert older heating sources to cleaner technologies, produce advanced biofuels, install flexible fuel pumps, install solar panels, build biorefineries, and much more. USDA Rural Development is at the forefront of renewable energy financing, with options including grants, guaranteed loans and payments.

Categories: Development, Assistance

National Link
Rural Utilities Program USDA

USDA Rural Development provides funding opportunities in the form of payments, grants, loans, and loan guarantees, for the development and commercialization of vital utility services. These programs revitalize rural communities with a variety of infrastructure improvements, and create sustainable opportunities for wealth, new jobs, and increased economic activity in rural America.

Categories: Energy, Development, Assistance

National Link
National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC) USDA

Gateway to invasive species information; covering Federal, State, local, and international sources.

Categories: invasive species, adaptation, planning, research

National Link
USDA Service Center Locator USDA

USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies. This web site will provide the address of a USDA Service Center and other Agency offices serving your area along with information on how to contact them.

Categories: USDA, service centers

National Link
Northwest Climate Hub USDA

The Northwest Climate Hub encompasses Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The purpose of the Hub is to deliver science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and Native American tribes that will help them to adapt to climate change.

Categories: science, outreach, adaptation

Northwest Link
Aerial Photography Field Office USDA

APFO is home to one of the country's largest aerial film libraries. We currently house more than 70,000 rolls of film (10 million plus images). Our film dates from 1955 to the present. We have coverage of most of the United States and its territories. Historic aerial images play a more vital role today than ever before with environmental assessments, change detection, and property boundary disputes.

Categories: aerial images, GIS, mapping, boundary disputes, environmental assessment

National Link
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) USDA

he Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests.

The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation.

Categories: forest restoration, forest management, private forests, non-industrial forests, natural disasters, forest health

National Link
ERS: Rural Economy and Population USDA

On topics related to the rural economy and rural populations, ERS conducts research on 1) Business & Industry, 2) Employment & Education, 3) Natural Amenities, 4) Population & Migration, 5) Rural Classifications, and 6) Rural Poverty & Well-being.

Categories: business, education, population, rural communities, poverty, public health, research

Rural Areas Link
USDA Climate Change Program Office: USDA

The Climate Change Program Office (CCPO) coordinates USDA’s responses to climate change, focusing on implications of climate change on agriculture, forests, grazing lands, and rural communities. CCPO ensures that USDA is a source of objective, analytical assessments of the effects of climate change and proposed response strategies both within USDA and for our partners.

Categories: Natural Resources, Coordination

National Link
USDA Rural Data Gateway USDA

The Rural Data Gateway strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making RD’s data more available and easier to access. It features Rural Investments Dashboards that significantly expand access to RD financial data through an easy-to-use interface that allows data from more than 65 RD programs to be viewed and downloaded. The Gateway and dashboards will help USDA get more resources to the people who need them in rural places.

Categories: energy, water, infrastructure, health

National Link
USDA Regional Climate Hubs USDA

USDA’s regional hubs will deliver information to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to help them adapt to climate change and weather variability. The Hubs will build capacity within USDA to provide information and guidance on technologies and risk management practices at regional and local scales.

Categories: Adaptation

Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, National, Alaska, Midwest Link
USDA Resource Guide for American Indians and Alaska Natives USDA

The USDA Resource Guide for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) was developed to provide tribal leaders and tribal citizens, 1994 Land-Grant Tribal Colleges and Universities, AI/AN businesses, and non-governmental organizations serving AI/AN communities with a tool for navigating USDA resources. The USDA programs and services available to members of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are described in the following pages. This guide provides readers with a comprehensive summary of USDA Programs, separated into four categories: 1. Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Traditional Foods 2. Business and Community Development 3. Conservation and Forestry 4. Research, Extension, and Outreach 

Categories: resources, agriculture, food sovereignty, traditional foods, business and community development, conservation, forestry

National, Alaska Link
USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) USDA

USDA/ERS is a primary source of economic information and research that conducts applied social science research, analyzes food and commodity markets, produces policy studies, and develops economic and statistical indicators involving food, farming, natural resources, and rural development.

Categories: research, economic analysis, social science, food and commodity, statistics, natural resources, rural development, mitigation

National Link
Economic Research Service; Climate Change USDA

The Earth's temperature is rising as a result of increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. Agriculture is a source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, two prominent greenhouse gases. Changes in agricultural practices can reduce emissions of these gases, and reduce atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide by sequestering carbon in soil.

Climate change will affect crop and livestock yields worldwide, which will lead to changes in food and fiber consumption, prices of agricultural commodities, and farm incomes.

ERS is uniquely positioned to analyze these changes through its expertise on the economics of:

Land use and management,
Technology adoption, and
Environmental program design.

Categories: land use management, technology adoption, greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture, carbon dioxide, carbon sequestration

National Link