Change is Coming: How Strategic Planning Supports Government Efforts on Climate Change

By Catherine Barrett, Jeffrey Roth, and Emily Wasley

Recent changes in our global climate system and significant governmental actions in Washington, DC, indicate a trend towards taking action on climate change across all three branches of government—executive, judicial, and legislative. As a result, efficiently and effectively adapting to better withstand the near, medium and long-term impacts of global climate change represents a pressing and complex issue for both public and private sector entities. Rather than merely responding to events as they unfold, however, climate change has created an important opportunity for consultants to bring to bear a suite of strategic planning tools that can help their clients understand and better evaluate potential social, environmental, and economic impacts of climate change and associated regulatory actions. Understanding the Context: Potential Impacts to Federal Facilities and Operations

It is widely believed that as a result of increased global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, surface temperatures have increased, sea-levels have risen, the Arctic summer sea ice is melting, and weather events have become more extreme and severe. Experts predict that these impacts may worsen in the near future, which could disrupt or otherwise burden the operations of the federal government. For example, higher summer and winter temperatures can seriously impact agricultural production throughout the U.S. while increased severe weather (e.g., intense heat waves and accompanying droughts or fires) increases demands for emergency management and disaster relief expenditures.