adapt to climate change

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Arctic Report Card shows less sea ice, more open water and increasing algae blooms. The down side is the report’s conclusion that climate change impacts the Arctic another year, and the statement that a driver is human-generated carbon emissions. The up side – if you view it as such – is increased navigation possibilities. The darker, less reflective open water Arctic absorbs heat, reflects less and thus accelerates the warming process according to NASA satellite measurements. Based on these data, some number of scientists (from some to many, depending on news source) believe and predict that the Arctic will be ice free in the summer sometime between now and the end of the century. That’s quite a time spread, but the consensus trend is consistent.

While neither NOAA or the NASA initiatives focus on navigation the impact seems clear. Commercial enterprises of all types no doubt will focus on navigation. Nation states will also act to promote their own interests in the Arctic. Stay tuned.

This time Congress must allocate the money for the proposed Climate Resilience Fund, announced by President Obama on Friday, February 14 in drought-stricken and federally-aided California. The assistant to the President on science and technology, John Holdren, clarified that this was a scientific imperative as well as a political issue and would be a recurring theme. The Fund is separate from the climate agenda set forth in June, 2013. The purpose of the Fund would be more than academic research, in that it would include assistance to communities to prepare for climate change and would promote the search for new technological solutions for infrastructure and other improvements to deal with the changing climate. The Fund would also engage in data gathering regarding the impact of climate change, although that seems redundant to current efforts unless the focus in somehow more unique than at first appears.

The Fund will be part of the Administration’s budget proposal for 2015, due to be unveiled soon. This is part of the Administration’s “year of action”. The President will – and has – used Executive Orders to implement other parts of his action agenda. Whether progress toward the Fund could come from that mechanism is not yet clear. Look for further Administrative directives to executive agencies, such as NASA and the EPA on his matter if Congress fails or refuses to implement the Fund. Mr. Holdren made clear that the initiative would move forward.

Tim Howard Law

The practice of commercial and personal wealth legal matters for individuals and entities

Arctic sailing, anyone?

Climate Change: The Coming of Funds