On July 16, 2014, President Obama announced 11 new climate resilience initiatives in response to early feedback from the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.  The President established the Task Force in 2013 to advise the administration about ways the Federal government could best help the nation prepare for climate change impacts. Governor Jerry Brown and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson are members of the Task Force.
 
The initiatives involve several infrastructure actions, development of advanced mapping and data tools, new FEMA guidelines accounting for climate change in hazard mitigation planning, and the Center for Disease Control’s guidance on Assessing Health Vulnerability to Climate Change. Funding of pilot and grant programs was also included. 
 
This announcement appears to continue a recent increase in the momentum of climate change-related actions as the Obama administration approaches its final two years. The California Climate Adaptation Forum is less than a month away, on August 19^th and 20^th in Sacramento. Confirmed keynote speakers are state leaders in climate topics, including:

• Mary Nichols, Chair, Air Resources Board
• Ken Alex, Director, Office of Planning and Research
• Christopher Benjamin, Director of Corporate Sustainability, PG&E
• Rick Cole, Deputy Mayor, City of Los Angeles
• Ken Pimlott, Director, CalFIRE
• Frances Spivy-Webster, Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board.

Forum organizers have extended the early online registration rate deadline to July 25^th and the reduced group lodging rate at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento to July 28^th. 
 
Don’t miss this year’s premier California conference on climate adaptation!  For the latest news, follow the conference on Twitter:  #CAF14