NOAA’s Climate Program Office (CPO) has announced a total annual award of US$15.2m to support 63 projects that will improve the resilience of US communities against climate change.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, “The window of time to avoid costly, deadly and irreversible future climate impacts is quickly closing. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to bold action and these new awards from NOAA are critical economic and research investments that will improve data, tools and resources needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change while building better, more resilient communities across America.”
Over the next year, universities, other research institutions and agency partners across the USA, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will conduct newly funded projects in partnership with NOAA programs, laboratories and research centers.
This year’s funding for climate research includes:
- Improving understanding of wildfire pollutants at transition zones where wilderness meets the city
- Strengthening understanding and management of drought’s impact on ecosystems, and building tribal drought resilience in tribal nations
- Supporting the management of national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments through better understanding of climate variability and change in the sanctuary system
- Assessing the financial aspects of and capacity for adaptation in rural communities
- Improving modeling of atmospheric aerosols and refining understanding of these aerosols’ role in potential climate intervention
Rick Spinrad, NOAA administrator, said, “These grants will spur the knowledge and innovation needed to tackle the climate crisis, which is a top priority for the Department of Commerce and NOAA. These new NOAA investments are essential to improve understanding of climate change, how to mitigate increasing impacts and bolster community resilience. All of these substantive steps work together toward our goal of building a climate-ready nation.”