Interagency Working Group Releases National Strategy to Enhance the Nation’s Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Monitoring Capabilities
Today, the Office of Management and Budget, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy announced the release of the National Strategy to Advance an Integrated U.S. Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Monitoring, and Information System, a Strategy developed by the Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Measurement Interagency Working Group to enhance coordination and integration of greenhouse gas measurement, monitoring, and information efforts across the Federal government.
The release of the Strategy comes on the heels of President Biden unveiling the Fifth National Climate Assessment, which concluded climate change continues to be a growing threat to our economy, with the impacts of extreme weather-related events already costing the U.S. close to $150 billion every year. By increasing coordination and integration of agency efforts into a unified approach for enhancing greenhouse gas information, and bringing to bear the collective capabilities and expertise of agencies to address national needs, this Strategy will ensure that the Federal government is improving our ability to quantify greenhouse gas reduction strategies across all sectors, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of taxpayer resources and advancing efforts to fight the existential threat of climate change. Additionally, the strategy outlines objectives and near-term focus areas to guide collaboration with external stakeholders on an integrated greenhouse gas information system that disseminates trusted, reliable, transparent, and accurate data.
“Today’s announcement is about good governance. The U.S. Federal government is already a world leader in measuring, monitoring, and producing data on greenhouse gas emissions. By better coordinating our Federal efforts and by working effectively with non-Federal partners, this Strategy will support the effective use of Federal resources, reduce duplication, and provide information to address one of the greatest fiscal risks we face today – the climate crisis,” said Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Nani Coloretti.
“To overcome the climate crisis, we need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Arati Prabhakar, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. “This strategy puts us on a path toward an integrated system to improve how we monitor greenhouse gas emissions, so actors across the economy can make informed decisions.”
“President Biden recognizes that climate solutions rooted in robust and rigorous data are better positioned to grow with speed and scale,” said President Biden’s National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “This new National Strategy strengthens this data environment, empowering folks in every sector of the economy to attract the private investment needed to seed and harvest climate solutions – everywhere from America’s heartland to the coasts.”
“As we implement President Biden’s climate and clean energy agenda, the public has a right to accurate information about the emissions reductions resulting from these historic investments,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “Today’s launch of a National Strategy on measuring, monitoring, and sharing information about greenhouse gases is a big step in the right direction.”
The Strategy was developed by the Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Measurement Interagency Working Group, which is co-led by the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy and includes the following departments and agencies:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Defense
- Department of Energy
- Department of the Interior
- Department of State
- Environmental Protection Agency
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Science Foundation
Release of the Strategy is part of a whole-of-government approach by the Biden-Harris Administration to enhance greenhouse gas measurement and monitoring capabilities across the Federal government to save hardworking families money and tackle the climate crisis. The Working Group solicited feedback from the public through two Requests for Information and meetings with external stakeholders, including businesses, industry organizations, state agencies, researchers, and non-governmental organizations. The Strategy can be accessed here.
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