As meager as it may be, this is "progress" in the turning of the ship of state, towards a new direction, one that acknowledges the Threats of Realities of Climate Change, we are all facing as over-leveraged energy consumers.
Especially considering the "anti-science" fervor that has taken over the Do-Nothing segments of Congress, like some run-away strain of Not-a-Scientist Ebola.
Despite that wide-spread Congressional malaise, some Branches of Government are ready to acknowledge a Climate-impacted future -- if only indirectly -- as indicated by this "breaking" news, just posted by Department of Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel:
The Department of Defense Must Plan for the National Security Implications of Climate Change
Posted by Secretary Chuck Hagel on October 13, 2014
-- whitehouse.gov/energy/news -- Energy and Environment Latest News
The responsibility of the Department of Defense is the security of our country. That requires thinking ahead and planning for a wide range of contingencies.
Among the future trends that will impact our national security is climate change. Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, climbing sea levels, and more extreme weather events will intensify the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty, and conflict. They will likely lead to food and water shortages, pandemic disease, disputes over refugees and resources, and destruction by natural disasters in regions across the globe.
[...]
While scientists are converging toward consensus on future climate projections, uncertainty remains. But this cannot be an excuse for delaying action. Every day, our military deals with global uncertainty. Our planners know that, as military strategist Carl von Clausewitz wrote, “all action must, to a certain extent, be planned in a mere twilight.”
It is in this context that today I am releasing DoD’s Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap. Climate change is a long-term trend, but with wise planning and risk mitigation now, we can reduce adverse impacts downrange.
Our first step in planning for these challenges is to identify the effects of climate change on the Department with tangible and specific metrics, using the best available science. [...] we are beginning work to address a projected sea-level rise of 1.5 feet over the next 20 to 50 years.
[...]
[emphasis added]
Here are a few intro highlights for that New DoD Climate Roadmap:
FY 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap
Department of Defense
Climate change will affect the Department of Defense's ability to defend the Nation and poses immediate risks to U.S. national security. The Department is responding to climate change in two ways: adaptation, or efforts to plan for the changes that are occurring or expected to occur; and mitigation, or efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap (Roadmap) focuses on the Department's climate change adaptation activities1.
The Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP) articulates the Department’s sustainability vision to maintain our ability to operate into the future without decline in the mission or the supporting natural and man-¬‐made systems. The actions set forth in this Roadmap will increase the Department's resilience to the impacts of climate change, which is a key part of fulfilling this vision.
The Department has established three broad adaptation goals:
Goal 1: Identify and assess the effects of climate change on the Department.
Goal 2: Integrate climate change considerations across the Department and manage associated risks.
Goal 3: Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on climate change challenges.
[...]
EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIREMENTS This 2014 update to the Roadmap fulfills the requirements of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan found in Executive Orders 13514 and 13653. Executive Order 13514 requires that all Federal Departments and Agencies evaluate climate change risks and vulnerabilities to manage both the short- and long-term effects of climate change on the agency’s mission and operations, and include an adaptation planning document as an appendix to its annual SSPP. Executive Order 13653 notes that “building on these efforts, each agency shall develop or continue to develop, implement, and update comprehensive plans that integrate consideration of climate change into agency operations and overall mission objectives and submit those plans to CEQ and OMB for review.” A table which cross references this Roadmap to the specific implementation requirements of EO 13653 is provided in Annex 1.
[emphasis added]
That's progress. Democratically-led progress.
Here are some of those E.O. highlights, that Hagel references. Executive directions that makes the drill-baby-drill GOP blood, boil ...
from insurancenewsnet.com
Title 3 -- The President -- Climate-Resilient International Development
Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc. -- Citation: "79 FR 58231"
Document Number: "Executive Order 13677 of September 23, 2014"
Page Number: "58231"
"Presidential Documents"
[...]
This order requires the integration of climate-resilience considerations into all United States international development work to the extent permitted by law. Dedicated U.S. climate-change adaptation funds are critical to managing the risks posed by climate-change impacts in vulnerable countries. Coping with the magnitude of the consequences of accelerating climate change also requires enhanced efforts across the Federal Government's broader international development work. Consideration of current and future climate-change impacts will improve the resilience of the Federal Government's broader international development programs, projects, investments, overseas facilities, and related funding decisions. The United States will also promote a similar approach among relevant multilateral entities in which it participates.
[...]
The international climate-resilience actions required by this order complement efforts by the Federal Government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home and globally. The more greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the less need there will be to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
Sec. 2. Incorporating Climate Resilience into International Development.
(a) Agencies with direct international development programs and investments shall:
(i) incorporate climate-resilience considerations into decisionmaking by:
(A) assessing and evaluating climate-related risks to and vulnerabilities in agency strategies, planning, programs, projects, investments, overseas facilities, and related funding decisions, using best-available climate-change data, tools, and information, including those identified or developed pursuant to sections 3 and 4 of this order; and
[...]
(b) Reporting.
(i) Agencies with direct international development programs and investments shall report on and track progress in achieving the requirements identified in section 2(a) of this order, including accomplished and planned milestones, through the Federal Agency Planning process set forth in section 5 of Executive Order 13653.
[...]
[emphasis added]
from
gpo.gov
Title 3 -- The President -- Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change
Executive Order 13653 of November 1, 2013
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to prepare the Nation for the impacts of climate change by undertaking actions to enhance climate preparedness and resilience, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The impacts of climate change -- including an increase in prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, more heavy downpours, an increase in wildfires, more severe droughts, permafrost thawing, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise -- are already affecting communities, natural resources, ecosystems, economies, and public health across the Nation. These impacts are often most significant for communities that already face economic or health-related challenges, and for species and habitats that are already facing other pressures. Managing these risks requires deliberate preparation, close cooperation, and coordinated planning by the Federal Government, as well as by stakeholders, to facilitate Federal, State, local, tribal, private-sector, and nonprofit-sector efforts to improve climate preparedness and resilience; help safeguard our economy, infrastructure, environment, and natural resources; and provide for the continuity of executive department and agency (agency) operations, services, and programs.
[...]
The Federal Government must build on recent progress and pursue new strategies to improve the Nation’s preparedness and resilience. In doing so, agencies should promote:
(1) engaged and strong partnerships and information sharing at all levels of government;
(2) risk-informed decisionmaking and the tools to facilitate it;
(3) adaptive learning, in which experiences serve as opportunities to inform and adjust future actions; and
(4) preparedness planning.
Sec. 2. Modernizing Federal Programs to Support Climate Resilient Investment.
(a) To support the efforts of regions, States, local communities, and tribes, all agencies, consistent with their missions and in coordination with the Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience (Council) established in section 6 of this order, shall:
(i) identify and seek to remove or reform barriers that discourage investments or other actions to increase the Nation’s resilience to climate change while ensuring continued protection of public health and the environment;
(ii) reform policies and Federal funding programs that may, perhaps unintentionally, increase the vulnerability of natural or built systems, economic sectors, natural resources, or communities to climate change related risks;
(iii) identify opportunities to support and encourage smarter, more climate resilient investments by States, local communities, and tribes, including by providing incentives through agency guidance, grants, technical assistance, performance measures, safety considerations, and other programs, including in the context of infrastructure development as reflected in Executive Order 12893 of January 26, 1994 (Principles for Federal Infrastructure Investments), my memorandum of August 31, 2011 (Speeding Infrastructure Development through More Efficient and Effective Permitting and Environmental Review), Executive Order 13604 of March 22, 2012 (Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects), and my memorandum of May 17, 2013 (Modernizing Federal Infrastructure Review and Permitting Regulations, Policies, and Procedures);
and
(iv) report on their progress in achieving the requirements identified above, including accomplished and planned milestones, in the Agency Adaptation Plans developed pursuant to section 5 of this order.
[...]
[emphasis added]
Well, That's Progress -- especially given the tried and failed attempts at establishing "Energy Independence" of previous Adminstrations.
And in other notable "That's Progress" news, as reported by whitehouse.gov:
larger image
I know it's not much, but given the Bush-Cheney years as back-drop -- It's Progress.
No wonder the GOP, hates this current Administration so much -- they're actually treating Climate Change like it's Real.
And ... That's Progress. The kind the GOP is itching to roll-back to Zero.