Climate Science, Messaging and Partnerships

June 2015 FEB Meeting

Josh Tapp and Chris Taylor

Today’s Conversation Topics

• EPA’s basic message on climate change• Climate change science overview• EPA’s role in climate change

• Partnership Example

• Executive Order 13693• Resources• Questions

EPA’s Basic Message

1. Climate change is happening2. Humans are largely responsible for

recent climate change3. Climate change affects everyone4. We can make a difference

http://epa.gov/climatechange/basics/

Basic Climate Change Terms

What is Climate Change?Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate (weather patterns) observed over decades, typically 30 years or longer.

What is Global Warming?Global warming is the observed increase in average temperature near the Earth’s surface. It is a type of climate change that can also lead to other changes in climate conditions. 4

Greenhouse Gases

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Carbon Dioxide Conc. Over Time

What are the Indicators of Climate Change?

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How much will the climate change?

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• The severity of climate change impacts depends on how much society reduces greenhouse gas emission.

• These models show a variety of outcomes based on our ability to take action

Climate Change Indicators Report

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Communicates the causes and effects of climate change using a key set of indicators in a sound, transparent, and easy to understand way

http://epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/index.html

Midwest/Great Plains Indicators

U.S. GHG Emissions

Global GHG Emissions

Atmospheric Concentrations of GHGs

Climate (radiative) Forcing

Heating and Cooling Degree Days - NEW

Heat-Related Deaths

Lyme Disease - NEW

Length of Growing Season

Ragweed Pollen Season

Ocean Heat ContentSea Surface Temperature Sea Level

Wildfires - NEW

Streamflow

Water Levels and Water Temperatures in the Great Lakes - NEW

Bird Wintering Ranges

Leaf and Bloom Dates

U.S. and Global Temperature

U.S. and Global Precipitation

High and Low Temperatures

Drought

Heavy Precipitation

Tropical Cyclone Activity

Arctic Sea IceGlaciersLake Ice SnowfallSnow Cover Snowpack

Greenhouse Gases

Weather and Climate

OceansHealth and Society

Snow and Ice Ecosystems

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Snow and Ice

Arctic Sea Ice Extent, 1979-2012

U.S. Benchmark Glaciers, 1958-2012

Weather and ClimateU.S. Temperature Anomalies,

1901-2013

Health and Society

April Snowpack, 1955-2013

Oceans

Ocean Acidity,1983-2012

U.S. Bird Wintering Range, 1966-2013

Tropical Cyclone Intensity, 1949-2013

Greenhouse Gases

U.S. Heavy Precipitation, 1910-2013

Relative Sea Level, 1960-2013 Global Sea Level, 1880-2013Global Temperature Anomalies, 1901-2013

Example: Reported Lyme Disease Cases in 1996 and 2012

U.S. GHG Emissions and Sinks, 1990-2012

Global Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations

Global GHG Emissions by Gas, 1990-2010

Snow Cover in North America, 1972-2013

Data Sources*

U.S. First Leaf and Bloom Dates, 1900-2013

* See EPA’s report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, for a complete list citations and associated references.

Rate of Temperature, 1901-2012

Snow to Precipitation Ratio,1949-2014

Global Sea Surface Temperature, 1880-2013

Ragweed Pollen Season,1995-2013

Wildfire Burned Area by State, 1984-2012

Climate Forcing, 1979-2013

Hot Summer Temperatures, 1910-2012

Record Temperatures, 1949-2009

U.S. Growing Season, 1895-2013

Lake Ice Thaw Dates, 1905-2012

Ecosystems

U.S. Heating and Cooling Degree Days, 1895-2013

Global Atmospheric Concentrations of Halogenated Gases, 1978-2012 Ocean Heat Content, 1955-2013

Great Lakes Water Levels and Temperatures

Sea Surface Temperature, 1901-2013

Rate of Precipitation, 1901-2012 U.S. Precipitation Anomalies,

1901-2012

Global Atmospheric CH4 Concentrations

Change in First Leaf Date, 1951-60 and 2004-2013

Wildfire Area by State, 1984-2012

Reference Glaciers Worldwide, 1945-2012

Changes in Streamflow, 1940-2012U.S. Heat-Related Deaths, 1979-2010

Seven Day Low Streamflow Three-Day High Streamflow Timing of Winter-Spring Runoff

Average Drought Conditions, 1895-2013 U.S. Lands Under Drought Conditions, 2000-2013

U.S. Lyme Disease Incidence, 1991-2012

EPA’s Role in Climate Change

EPA’s Broad RoleNationally EPA, along with other federal agencies, is taking a number of steps to address the challenge of climate change:

• Getting reductions through regulations

• Collecting emissions data

• Planning for resilience (helping communities adapt)

• Building partnerships (states, locals, tribes, private sector, internationally)

• Understanding the economic impacts and effectiveness of proposed climate policies

• Advancing the science

http://epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities.html

R7Climate Action Team Focus Areas

Coordinating Climate Information

Integrating Climate into Existing Regulatory Framework and Programs

Expanding our Climate Partnerships

Action Teams

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Adaptation in Clean Up Programs

SUPRLiz Hagenmaier

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GREEN REMEDIATION

• Total Energy Use and Renewable Energy Use

• Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Water Use and Impacts to Water Resources

• Materials Management and WasteReduction

• Land Management and EcosystemsProtection

http://www.epa.gov/oswer/greenercleanups/

Executive Order 13693Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade

EO 13693 – Introduction• Signed by the President on March 19, 2015• Revokes and supersedes EO 13423 and EO 13514 which had

consolidated and extended several prior environmentally-related EOs• Major Provisions:

• GHG Emission Reductions – Extended the 28% by FY20 goal to 40% by FY25 (FY08 baseline)

• Energy Intensity Reductions – Continues 2.5% per year through FY25• Renewable Energy Target – 30% by FY25 (RECs and on-site, agency-funded

projects)• Water Intensity Reductions – Continues 2% per year through FY25• Fleet GHG Emission Reductions – 30% by FY25 (FY14 baseline)

• Zero Emission/Plug-in Hybrids – 50% by FY25• Waste Management – Divert at least 50% from landfills including food and

compostable materials

New Requirements for FEBs• Sec. 10. Regional Coordination. Within 180 days of the date of this order, each EPA and GSA

Regional office shall in coordination with Federal Executive Boards established by the Presidential Memorandum of November 10, 1961 (The Need for Greater Coordination of Regional and Field Activities of the Government), DOD and other agencies as appropriate, convene regional interagency workgroups to identify and address:

• (a) sustainable operations of Federal fleet vehicles, including identification and implementation of opportunities to use and share fueling infrastructure and logistical resources to support the adoption and use of alternative fuel vehicles, including E-85 compatible vehicles, zero emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and compressed natural gas powered vehicles;

• (b) water resource management and drought response opportunities;

• (c) climate change preparedness and resilience planning in coordination with State, local, and tribal communities; and

• (d) opportunities for collective procurement of clean energy to satisfy energy demand for multiple agency buildings.

Next Steps

• White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released implementing instructions on June 10

• Not much direction other than fleet infrastructure• EPA has had preliminary discussions with GSA; further

Agency guidance may be issued “soon”• We will begin discussing more earnestly and reaching out to other

agencies • More to come…..

Resources and Information

Climate Science Resources• Main EPA HQ website, http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/

• National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Indicators, http://epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/index.html

• National Climate Assessment: Climate Change Impacts, http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), http://www.ipcc.ch/index.htm

Questions?

What is Causing Climate Change?

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Climate Change Impacts in the U.S.

What are the observed and projected changes in the U.S.?

• Increasing temperatures• Changing precipitation patterns• Increases in extreme weather events• Rising sea level• Changes in ocean chemistry

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