Reforming Institutions and Managing Extremes: U.S. Policy Options for Adapting to Climate Change

June 1, 2011

The nation’s landscapes and cities will experience both negative and positive impacts from a changing climate. The challenge for effective climate adaptation is to form federal policies that are flexible enough to address diverse impacts in distinct regions of the country. A single, overarching government policy cannot contend with every need or problem; at the same time, the federal government still has a significant and critical role to play. RFF researchers recently completed a major study investigating potential policy options for the federal government’s response to climate adaptation, the results of were presented at the June First Wednesday Seminar. Speakers laid out the key findings important for domestic adaptation policy development, then showcased three salient areas of concern that highlight the complexity and magnitude of the challenges the nation faces in adjusting to shifting climatic conditions.

Event Speakers

Moderator: Daniel F. Morris, Center Fellow, Center for Climate and Electricity Policy, Resources for the Future

Alan Covich, Professor, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia

Erwann Michel-Kerjan, Managing Director, Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, The Wharton School

James Neumann, Principal, Industrial Economics, Inc

Cathleen Kelly, Council on Environmental Quality

Download Reforming Institutions and Managing Extremes:U.S. Policy Approaches for Adapting to a Changing Climate

Summary Report

Read more from RFF's Center for Climate and Electricity Policy on climate change adaptation here.

Audio and Video
Event Audio (mp3) click to stream and right-click to download​