Emergency management in a changing climate.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Science
• Emergency Management

Background:

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) omitted "climate change" and related terms from its 2018-2022 strategic plan.
• Despite this omission, scientific evidence demonstrates that climate change is altering weather patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
• This creates a critical gap in emergency preparedness and response planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To underscore the necessity of incorporating climate change into emergency management.
• To address why climate change is a growing concern for emergency managers.
• To provide actionable recommendations for emergency managers regarding climate change.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of peer-reviewed climate science literature.
• Examination of the implications of climate change for disaster frequency and intensity.
• Review of emergency management principles and strategic planning.

Main Results:

• Peer-reviewed climate science clearly demonstrates that climate change is a driver of altered weather patterns and more frequent extreme weather.
• Ignoring climate change in strategic planning poses significant risks to public safety and resource allocation.
• Emergency managers face increasing challenges due to climate-related disasters.

Conclusions:

• Climate change is a critical variable that emergency managers must actively address.
• Integrating climate change projections into all facets of emergency management is essential for effective preparedness and response.
• Proactive adaptation and mitigation strategies informed by climate science are crucial for future resilience.