U.S. Virgin Islands climate change adaptation program advanced under 2015 executive order

The U.S. Virgin Islands climate change adaptation program, established by Executive Order No. 474-2015, was moving forward as of Aug. 31, 2018, according to Government House.

Program consultant Lloyd Gardner said planning was underway for the first major meeting of the U.S. Virgin Islands Climate Change Council. The executive order called for climate-change adaptation policy and planning to be conducted in a coordinated and collaborative manner.

Government House said projects and related capacity-building efforts had been coordinated by local government agencies, nonprofits and federal agencies. It cited technical-assistance grants from the U.S. Department of the Interior for vulnerability and risk assessments and for community health education on climate change and chronic disease.

The administration also cited a workshop on sea-level rise and economic activity in coastal communities held on Feb. 15-16, 2017, and a workshop on climate impacts and adaptation for resource management held on St. Croix on Aug. 17, 2017.

Government House said the 31st Legislature examined the economic implications of climate change during an April 2016 hearing, and that climate change and resiliency were a major focus of the Hurricane Recovery Task Force's research and report, which was nearing completion.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/u-s-virgin-islands-climate-change-program-moves-forward/