Climate Change Action

1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter?

1.2 What is the scope of this chapter?

1.3 What are the authorities for this chapter?

1.4 What terms do you need to know to understand this chapter?

(1) Ensuring that the Service has climate policies and programs in place that are consistent with the Department of the Interior’s (Department) policy;

(2) Ensuring that the Directorate implements measures to respond to climate change and its effects;

(3) Assigning employees with appropriate technical and partnership skills to serve on:

     (a) The Service’s Climate Change Action Program working groups;

     (b) The Department’s and other agencies’ climate change work groups and committees; and

     (c) Working groups of other organizations addressing climate change, including States, Tribes, and underrepresented communities; and

(4) Coordinating with other Departmental heads of bureaus and offices to ensure a cross-agency, integrated approach to implementing effective and efficient climate change measures.

(1) Developing policy and guidance on climate change and keeping it current;

(2) Leading, coordinating, and updating the Climate Change Action Program;

(3) Working with the Directorate, other Service leadership, and the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) to ensure managers and employees have the necessary scientific knowledge, tools, and training and are aware of the latest policies, strategies, and best practices to address climate change;

(4) Assisting with requests from Regions and programs for specialized technical support on climate change action;

(5) Representing the Service in interagency climate efforts, as appropriate; and

(6) Monitoring the Service’s actions toward meeting the Climate Change Action Program’s goals.

(1) Where appropriate, incorporating climate change principles into existing courses; and

(2) Developing new courses focused on supporting Service efforts to respond to climate change. 

(1) Ensuring that their staff implement the Department’s climate policies, this policy, including the actions in subsections 1.6D(2)-(9) below, other related Service policies, such as 565 FW 1, and the Service’s Climate Change Action Program;

(2) Reviewing and updating existing decision-making processes, planning processes and documents (e.g., recovery plans, comprehensive conservation plans, migratory bird plans, fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.

Learn more about fish passage designs), guidance documents, and activities for which they are responsible to more fully integrate climate change action;

(3) Supporting the work of the Climate Change Action Program, which includes assigning employees who have appropriate technical or partnership skills to that work;

(4) Ensuring climate change training is available to all employees who implement or otherwise engage in resource and facility management activities for the Service and identifying or developing training as needed;

(5) Providing executive level representation on steering committees for landscape-scale conservation and on stakeholder advisory committees for the U.S. Geological Survey Climate Adaptation Science Centers, as appropriate;

(6) Addressing the vulnerability of Service infrastructure and facilities as they may be affected by climate change, including seeking expert local and regional assistance and partnering with the General Services Administration (GSA), as appropriate;

(7) Working to reduce the Service’s carbon footprint through purchases, infrastructure design and maintenance, energy conservation, renewable energy, and other operations (e.g., fleet management);

(8) For those financial assistance programs they oversee, while considering the implementing authorities and the Service’s role in administration and oversight, determining how they can incorporate climate action policies into awards; and

(9) Promoting adaptive and flexible approaches to climate change.

(1) Ensuring that they and the employees for which they are responsible:

     (a) Become familiar with and contribute to implementing the Department’s climate change policies, this policy, including the actions in subsections 1.6D(2)-(9), other related Service policies, such as 565 FW 1, and the Service’s Climate Change Action Program; and

     (b) Work with partners, as appropriate, to reach the goals of these policies;

(2) Implementing these policies while performing their duties;

(3) Encouraging employees to take climate change training relevant to their work; and

(4) When appropriate, including climate change action in Employee Performance and Appraisal Plans (EPAPs).

(1) Becoming familiar with and contributing to implementing the Department’s climate change policies, this policy, including the actions in subsections 1.6D(2)-(9), other related Service policies, such as 565 FW 1, and the Service’s Climate Change Action Program;

(2) Ensuring consistent application of tools, resources, policy, and guidance within their job responsibilities to address current and future climate impacts;

(3) Working with partners, as appropriate, to reach the goals of these policies; and

(4) Taking climate change training relevant to their work.