Tackling the Climate Crisis
Prioritizing Action on Climate Change for a More Equitable and Sustainable Future
“At the Department of the Interior, I believe we have a unique opportunity to make our communities more resilient to climate change and to help lead the transition to a clean energy economy.”
—Secretary Deb Haaland
The United States faces a profound climate crisis, and the Department of the Interior is poised to take action to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of that crisis and meet the moment. The climate crisis is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us. In 2020, the United States experienced 22 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events, with a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion.
As the climate crisis disproportionately affects underserved communities, the Department of the Interior is supporting the Administration’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis and put environmental justice at the center of its mission. Because decision making often overlooks the disparate and cumulative impacts of the climate crisis on Black and brown communities, we are charting a new and better course —listening and learning from affected communities — as part of a whole-of-government approach to address the climate crisis.
In doing so, we are working to build a modern, resilient climate infrastructure and clean energy future that will create millions of good-paying union jobs, while protecting the communities, natural, and cultural resources on which we rely.
As directed by Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, Interior joined other federal agencies in the release of its Climate Action Plan on Oct. 7, 2021.
The Climate Action Plan demonstrates DOI’s commitment to use science as the foundation for decisions, recognizing that the Department’s approach to adaptation should evolve as science informs an understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities.
On October 6, 2022, the Department released its Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan Progress Report. The report highlights key steps the Department has taken to advance the following climate adaptation themes:
- Promote Climate-Resilient Lands, Waters, and Cultural Resources
- Advance Climate Equity
- Transition to a Resilient Clean Energy Economy
- Support Tribal and Insular Community Resilience
- Empower the Next Generation of Conservation and Resilience Workers
- Enhance Climate Literacy
- Bolster Climate Resilience in the Management of Sites, Facilities and Supply of Products and Services