Description:

Climate change impacts are increasingly evident, necessitating proactive measures at all levels of society and across sectors. It is often at the local (i.e., municipal, community) level where people feel the most immediate effects and where initiatives can be most impactful. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Climate-Ready Nation initiative is responding to the growing demand from communities to tailor climate information and services to help facilitate informed decision-making. The Climate-Ready Nation Initiative reinforces NOAA’s commitment to providing equitable access to climate data, products, and information for our Nation’s communities and decision-makers by centering NOAA’s Equitable Climate Services Action Plan in its implementation. NOAA is committed to providing foundational climate information and knowledge for local decision-making and investing in additional technical assistance and capacity building. This panel will delve into the pivotal role of NOAA and NOAA-funded partners in enabling local adaptation and mitigation measures, fostering resilience, and ensuring that climate services effectively address the unique challenges faced by communities across diverse geographical and socioeconomic contexts. Panelists will explore the significance of providing science-based climate services tailored to local communities, highlighting successful strategies, challenges faced, and opportunities for future work.