S. 1933: Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act
Advisor
Semester
The Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act is designed to integrate federal agency activities to respond to the impacts of climate change by protecting, restoring, and conserving the natural resources and associated ecosystem services of the United States. It provides financial incentives for activities to protect, restore, and conserve natural resources and associated ecosystem services in response to climate change. The agencies involved include NOAA, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and several others. If the bill becomes law, it would issue a climate change impact survey identifying natural resources adversely affected by climate change. Using a natural resources climate change adaptation strategy, the bill it would also establish the National Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program to develop a national database of fish and wildlife habitat and corridors.
The group analyzed the bill, using the Colorado River Basin in its case study and focusing on freshwater, vegetation and wildlife. Students analyzed the effects of climate change on the Colorado River Basin, noting warmer temperatures, less snow, earlier and quicker snowmelt, and a decrease in precipitation.