FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Comment: NSAC Applauds President Biden’s Remarks on Funding Adaptive Measures, But Urges Action on Climate Mitigation
Washington, DC, July 20, 2022 – In response to President Biden’s remarks today on tackling the climate crisis, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Cathy Day, NSAC Climate Policy Coordinator.
“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds President Biden’s announcement of community-focused action on climate change. In addressing the ways in which homes and communities can reduce their vulnerability to heat waves and related disasters, the announced funding is both timely and necessary. The $2.3 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to help communities withstand climate impacts, will help rural and agricultural communities cope with climate emergencies. For agriculture, recent heat waves in the US and Europe present challenges, including for farmworkers whose outdoor work in extreme heat makes them particularly vulnerable to heat stroke and death.”
“The announced funding, including the $3.1 billion that was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package for weatherizing homes and $385 million to help families with cooling and other energy costs, can potentially enable farmers, farmworkers, and rural residents to access funds that can help finance safe locations to which to retreat during weather emergencies. Heat waves, fires, and floods have become increasing obstacles to rural safety and well-being in the past decade, and NSAC is glad to see the President working to protect communities as they cope with these challenges.”
“NSAC hopes to see the Administration continue to address both climate mitigation and adaptation in ways that offer support to increase the resilience of both rural and urban communities. In the absence of strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, American communities will continue to experience more and more extreme weather events. The adaptive opportunities offered by the Biden administration will be far from sufficient to address the increasing challenges.”
“The President’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 are vital to reduce future obstacles to rural and agricultural community resilience. NSAC calls on the President to take action that can directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net