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This report from the United States Government Accountability Office discusses the potential effects of climate change on nuclear power plants. It highlights the risks posed by natural hazards such as heat, drought, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, and sea level rise. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has taken some actions to address these risks, but the report suggests that they do not fully consider the potential effects of climate change. The report recommends that the NRC assess its existing processes and develop a plan to address any gaps identified. [Extracted from the article]

In December 1997, the United States and 37 other nations adopted the Kyoto Protocol to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They agreed in principle to significantly reduce their future greenhouse gas emissions. The advice of and consent of the Senate would be needed to commit the United States to the emissions reductions. Whether the Senate should take that step has been widely debated, mainly because the reductions could be costly to the U.S. economy and their effectiveness in addressing the problem of global climate change has been questioned. GAO convened a panel of experts in December 1998 to discuss the issues surrounding the Kyoto Protocol. GAO also prepared a background paper on ensuring compliance with international environmental agreements. GAO is publishing that background paper as a staff study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for managing flood risk infrastructure and is taking steps to enhance the climate resilience of this infrastructure. The Corps has developed policies, conducted research, and provided guidance on climate resilience. A review of literature and interviews identified 14 options to further enhance resilience, such as updating planning guidance and conducting climate vulnerability assessments. Implementing these options would require additional resources and authority from Congress. The report recommends that the Corps analyze these options and integrate them into future planning efforts, and that Congress consider providing direction or authority to implement them. [Extracted from the article]

The article present the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the radioactive contamination resulting from U.S. Cold War activities in Greenland, Spain and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). It highlighting changes since the contamination; addressing concerns like climate change affecting contamination mobility in Greenland and distrust of information in RMI; and a recommendation for the Department of Energy to develop a sustainable communication strategy in RMI.

The article discusses U.S. priorities and diplomacy in the Arctic, emphasizing geopolitical trends, impacts of climate change on Alaska Natives and heightened great power competition. Topics include the U.S. Arctic strategy, federal entities managing Arctic efforts and factors facilitating or hindering the government's management of Arctic priorities.

The article focuses on the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2023, outlining its mission, core values, and scope of work. It highlights GAO's key achievements, financial benefits, legislative impacts, and future challenges, including addressing the nation's unsustainable fiscal future, impacts of evolving science and technology, cybersecurity, climate change, and health care challenges.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on state and local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. Topics discussed include estimating emissions using various data sources, analyzing transportation investment effects, and challenges in achieving reduction targets set by certain state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on state and local efforts, led by transportation departments and planning organizations, in reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Topics discussed include estimating emissions using various data sources, analyzing the impact of transportation investments, and challenges in achieving reduction targets, such as incentivizing consumers to adopt greener fuels and vehicles.

The article discusses the government's leading practices to enhance interagency collaboration and address crosscutting challenges. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration between federal entities to achieve meaningful results in areas like infectious diseases, climate change, and cybersecurity. The report validates and updates previous collaboration practices, provides examples, and highlights the role of performance management in facilitating collaboration.

The article focuses on Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) facing many climate-related risks such as increasing temperature and drought. Topics include explaining operations and planning of TVA while focusing on economic and clean energy development, discussing enterprise risk management which can help in assessing and managing risks related to climate change, and mentions several steps to manage climate-related risk by TVA.

The article presents report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on actions needed to improve the federal approach to disaster recovery. It mentions that extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent and intense in parts of the U.S. as a result of changes in the climate. It discusses about several federal programs to assist disaster recovery.

The article discusses a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on federal efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in the U.S. as extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent in the country as a result of climate change. Topics include several key areas that need improvement as identified by GAO such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs and the importance of investments in disaster resilience.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) need to ensure regulated facilities consider risks from climate change. It mentions that EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule requires certain facilities that make, use, handle, or store hazardous substances (chemicals) to develop and implement a risk management program to detect and prevent or minimize the consequences of an accidental release.

The article discusses the results of a study conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office on lessons that can be learned from NASA's key acquisition projects. Topics mentioned include the need to maximize resources between the public and private sector to optimize government return on project investments, NASA's objective to explore the Earth and the solar system and study climate change, and the importance of risk management of pragmatic decisions.

The article presents the discussion on Department of Energy's (DOE) investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects resulted in varying levels of success. Topics include most significant greenhouse gas helping in mitigating the negative effects of climate change; key scientific assessments underscoring the urgency of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) which being the most significant greenhouse gas.

The article looks at a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding analysis of the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) data and sustained damage from 21 weather-related natural disasters from fiscal years 2015 through 2019. It mentions damage, from floods, hurricanes, winter storms and other disasters, cost USPS and ranged from broken flag poles to collapsed sections of buildings. It also mentions potential climate change effects including flooding.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's additional actions to manage risks from climate change effects. It mentions about the available federal data on flooding, storm surge, wildfires, and sea level rise associated with nonfederal Superfund National Priorities List.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on the preliminary observations on options for improving climate resilience of transportation infrastructure. It mentions the guide for analysis of federal actions to facilitate and promote resilience to natural disasters and changes in the climate across many policy areas, including transportation.

The article presents the report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on the actions needed to control climate change by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy. It mentions the climate change effects on the electricity grid, along with mentions the risk management involves identifying and assessing risks to understand the likelihood of impacts and their associated consequences.

The article looks at a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Department of Defense (DOD) domestic installations report extensive and varied use of community infrastructure and support services. It mentions DOD installations also report taking a range of actions to coordinate with organizations including public utilities, county governments, and state agencies to limit installation exposure to the effects of climate change and extreme weather.

The article presents a reports of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), that is focuses on improving the climate resilience through climate migration and by planning and preparing for potential hazards related to climate change. It mentions need for taking actions to reduce potential future losses by planning and preparing for potential climate hazards, such as extreme rainfall, sea level rise, and drought.

The article presents a reports of the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommending the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to mprove reporting of climate adaptation funding. Topics include that USAID is the primary U.S. government agency helping countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

The article presents a reports of the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommending the Department of Defense (DOD) to incorporate climate adaptation into its acquisition, risk Assessment and supply guidance on mission assurance-related assessments for commercial facilities; and that harmful effects of climate change on defense contractors.

The article presents a report which examines federal technical and financial assistance to utilities for enhancing climate resilience. Topics include information on climate resilience which aim to reduce future losses by planning for climate change impacts; review of laws, regulations, and planning of Environmental Protection Agency about programs that provide assistance to drinking water utilities; and information on Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets standards to protect drinking water.

The article looks at a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the potential economic effects of climate change could be significant and unevenly distributed across sectors and regions. It mentions increase in federal funding for disaster assistance in supplemental appropriations signed into law on June 6, 2019. It also mentions U.S. Global Change Research Program projects that disaster costs will likely increase as certain extreme weather events.

The article presents a U.S. Government Accountability Office report on climate resilience. Topics discussed include climate resilience and federal investment strategies; federal funding for disaster assistance for supplemental appropriation; and plan for climate change risks and invest in climate resilience.

The article presents the study conducted on the impact of climate change on nonfederal National Priorities List (NPL) sites. The report reviews federal data from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service to review the extent to which Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages the risk on human health and the environment from the effect of climate change at such sites.

The article focuses on the federal agencies' establishment of scientific integrity policies. Topics discussed include censorship of their work related to climate change, America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act, and agencies have scientific integrity policies that are consistent with federal guidance.

The article offers information on a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) related to climate resilience. Topics discussed include the need for the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide guidance on the use of climate projections in installation of master plans and facilities designs; and the examination by GAO that up to how much extent DOD has taken steps to incorporate resilience to extreme weather and climate change.

The article focuses on a report of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on economic impact of climate change. It informs that GAO has included "Limiting the Federal Government's Fiscal Exposure by Better Managing Climate Change Risks" on its list of federal program areas at high risk of vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement or most in need of transformation.

The article talks about activities by US agencies including the Department of State (State), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to address possible impact of climate change on global migration trends. Topics discussed include climate change possibly increasing both the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, thereby causing population shifts.

The article offers information on a review about the potential economic effects of climate change and risks to the federal government as reviewed by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It examines the methods applied to estimate the potential economic effects of climate change in the country as well as the effects and the extent to which information about the effects could inform efforts to manage climate risks across the government.

The article discusses the study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the U.S. regarding the application of forward-looking climate information by selected standards-developing organizations. GAO determine that forward looking projections can help manage climate-related risks. It suggests that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) must convene an ongoing government-wide effort to provide forward-looking climate information to standards organizations.

The article discusses the status of the recommendations, made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) carried out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The management operations, water issues and environmental justice are the status which fall into categories are discussed. Also mentions the benefits such as programmatic and process improvements and financial benefits by GAO.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office which reveals the role of the National System to help decision makers to use climate information. It discusses the initiative of federal government in the U.S. to address issues of climate change risks. It also presents several reports from the National Research Council, the National Academy of Public Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the same.

The article discusses a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on climate change's effect on insurers in the U.S. Topics include strategies adopted by insurers to cope up with flood, changes in federal and private exposure to losses, and steps needed to be taken by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Risk Management Agency to encourage flood and crop insurance policyholders to adopt agricultural practices to reduce longterm risk.

The article presents a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office to the Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives concerning ongoing efforts of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on helping farmers in problems due to climate change. Topics discussed include USDA's climate change priorities and how these align with national priorities, status of USDA's climate change efforts, and challenges USDA faces in implementing its climate efforts.

The article discusses a report of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the impact of climate change on the infrastructure in the U.S. submitted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Topics discussed include consideration of climate change into installation planning by the planners of DOD, identification of limitations by GAO in the planning of DOD and GAO assessment of DOD's actions to adapt the U.S. infrastructure's ability to recover.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) which examines the issues concerning the use and availability of freshwater. The impact of climte change and extreme weather events on water resources is outlined. The effects of the energy sector on the quality and quantity of water are discussed.

The article focuses on a study conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the impact pf climatic changes on water infrastructure. It states that the GAO has examined the actions taken by the Department of Defense's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation. It discusses the challenges posed by climate change for water resource managers along with the Secure Water Act.

The article presents a report prepared by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) concerning the measures taken by federal natural resource management agencies to address climate change adaptation guidance in the U.S. The report examined the collaboration of agencies like Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on adaptation since 2007. The report concluded that adaptation will require new strategies to meet new climatic realities.

The article focuses on a report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office regarding the air emissions and electricity generation at the U.S. power plants. It mentions that the largest emitters of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides in the U.S. are electricity generating units at fossil fuel power plants. It further informs that these gases are responsible for respiratory illnesses, acid rain and greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

The article reports on the urgency of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide to address climate change in the U.S. It highlights information including the key economic, legal, regulatory and technological barriers impeding commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage technology. It offers information on how the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and other related agencies are taking action to overcome the climatic issue.

Collaboration between the federal government and the aviation industry has led to reductions in aviation emissions, but growing air traffic has partially offset these reductions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), together with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others, is working to increase the efficiency, safety, and capacity of the national airspace system and at the same time reduce aviation emissions, in part, by transforming the current air traffic control system to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). This effort involves new technologies and air traffic procedures that can reduce aviation emissions and incorporates research and development (R&D) on emissions-reduction technologies. Reducing aviation emissions is important both to minimize their adverse health and environmental effects and to alleviate public concerns about them that could constrain the expansion of airport infrastructure and aviation operations needed to meet demand. This testimony addresses (1) the scope and nature of aviation emissions, (2) the status of selected key federal efforts to reduce aviation emissions, and (3) next steps and challenges in reducing aviation emissions. The testimony updates prior GAO work with FAA data, literature reviews, and interviews with agency officials, industry and environmental stakeholders, and selected experts. Aviation contributes a modest but growing proportion of total U.S. emissions, and these emissions contribute to adverse health and environmental effects. Aircraft and airport operations, including those of service and passenger vehicles, emit ozone and other substances that contribute to local air pollution, as well as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. EPA estimates that aviation emissions account for less than 1 percent of local air pollution nationwide and about 2.7 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, but these emissions are expected to grow as air traffic increases. Two key federal efforts, if implemented effectively, can help to reduce aviation emissions--NextGen initiatives in the near term and research and development over the longer term. For example, NextGen technologies and procedures, such as satellite-based navigation systems, should allow for more direct routing, which could improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Federal research and development efforts--led by FAA and NASA in collaboration with industry and academia--have achieved significant reductions in aircraft emissions through improved aircraft and engine technologies, and federal officials and aviation experts agree that such efforts are the most effective means of achieving further reductions in the longer term. Federal R&D on aviation emissions also focuses on improving the scientific understanding of aviation emissions and developing lower-emitting aviation fuels. Next... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the potential effects of climate change in the management resources agencies. GAO points out the affected agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service (FS), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Park Service (NPS). Further, GAO sets actions to cope up with climate change.

Weather-related events in the United States have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages annually over the past decade. A major portion of these losses is borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs-- the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures properties against flooding, and the Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), which insures crops against drought or other weather disasters. In this testimony, GAO (1) describes how climate change may affect future weather-related losses, (2) provides information on past insured weather-related losses, and (3) determines what major private insurers and federal insurers are doing to prepare for potential increases in such losses. This testimony is based on a report entitled Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant (GAO-07-285) released on April 19, 2007. Key scientific assessments report that the effects of climate change on weather-related events and, subsequently, insured and uninsured losses, could be significant. The global average surface temperature has increased over the past century and climate models predict even more substantial, perhaps accelerating, increases in temperature in the future. Assessments by key governmental bodies generally found that rising temperatures are expected to increase the frequency and severity of damaging weather-related events, such as flooding or drought, although the timing and magnitude are as yet undetermined. Additional research on the effect of increasing temperatures on weather events is expected in the near future. Taken together, private and federal insurers paid more than $320 billion in claims on weather-related losses from 1980 to 2005. Claims varied significantly from year to year--largely due to the effects of catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes and droughts--but have generally increased during this period. The growth in population in hazard-prone areas and resulting real estate development have generally increased liabilities for insurers, and have helped to explain the increase in losses. Due to these and other factors, federal insurers' exposure has grown substantially. Since 1980, NFIP's exposure nearly quadrupled to nearly $1 trillion in 2005, and program expansion increased FCIC's exposure 26-fold to $44 billion. Major private and federal insurers are both exposed to the effects of climate change over coming decades, but are responding differently. Many large private insurers are incorporating climate change into their annual risk management practices, and some are addressing it strategically by analyzing its potential long-term industry-wide impacts. In contrast, federal insurers have not developed and disseminated comparable information on long-term financial impacts. GAO acknowledges that the federal insurance programs are not profit-oriented,... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather-related events in the United States have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages annually over the past decade. A major portion of these losses is borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs-- the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures properties against flooding, and the Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), which insures crops against drought or other weather disasters. In this testimony, GAO (1) describes how climate change may affect future weather-related losses, (2) provides information on past insured weather-related losses, and (3) determines what major private insurers and federal insurers are doing to prepare for potential increases in such losses. This testimony is based on a report entitled Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant (GAO-07-285) being released today. Key scientific assessments report that the effects of climate change on weather-related events and, subsequently, insured and uninsured losses, could be significant. The global average surface temperature has increased over the past century and climate models predict even more substantial, perhaps accelerating, increases in temperature in the future. Assessments by key governmental bodies generally found that rising temperatures are expected to increase the frequency and severity of damaging weather-related events, such as flooding or drought, although the timing and magnitude are as yet undetermined. Additional research on the effect of increasing temperatures on weather events is expected in the near future. Taken together, private and federal insurers paid more than $320 billion in claims on weather-related losses from 1980 to 2005. Claims varied significantly from year to year--largely due to the effects of catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes and droughts--but have generally increased during this period. The growth in population in hazard-prone areas and resulting real estate development have generally increased liabilities for insurers, and have helped to explain the increase in losses. Due to these and other factors, federal insurers' exposure has grown substantially. Since 1980, NFIP's exposure nearly quadrupled to nearly $1 trillion in 2005, and program expansion increased FCIC's exposure 26-fold to $44 billion. Major private and federal insurers are both exposed to the effects of climate change over coming decades, but are responding differently. Many large private insurers are incorporating climate change into their annual risk management practices, and some are addressing it strategically by assessing its potential long-term industry-wide impacts. In contrast, federal insurers have not developed and disseminated comparable information on long-term financial impacts. GAO acknowledges that the federal insurance programs are not profit-oriented, like... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather-related events have cost the nation billions of dollars in damages over the past decade. Many of these losses are borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs--the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures properties against flooding, and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), which insures crops against drought or other weather disasters. GAO was asked to (1) describe how climate change may affect future weather-related losses, (2) determine past insured weather-related losses, and (3) determine what major private insurers and federal insurers are doing to prepare for potential increases in such losses. In response, among other things, GAO reviewed key scientific assessments; analyzed insured loss data; and contacted private insurers, NFIP, and FCIC. Key scientific assessments report that the effects of climate change on weather-related events and, subsequently, insured and uninsured losses, could be significant. The global average surface temperature has increased by 0.74 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years and climate models predict additional, perhaps accelerating, increases in temperature. The key assessments GAO reviewed generally found that rising temperatures are expected to increase the frequency and severity of damaging weather-related events, such as flooding or drought, although the timing and magnitude are as yet undetermined. Additional research on the effect of increasing temperatures on weather events is expected in the near future, including a highly anticipated assessment of the state of climate science this year. Taken together, private and federal insurers paid more than $320 billion in claims on weather-related losses from 1980 to 2005. Claims varied significantly from year to year--largely due to the effects of catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes and droughts--but have generally increased during this period. The growth in population in hazard-prone areas and resulting real estate development have generally increased liabilities for insurers, and have helped to explain the increase in losses. Due to these and other factors, federal insurers' exposure has grown substantially. Since 1980, NFIP's exposure quadrupled, nearing $1 trillion in 2005, and program expansion increased FCIC's exposure 26-fold to $44 billion. Major private and federal insurers are both exposed to the effects of climate change over coming decades, but are responding differently. Many large private insurers are incorporating climate change into their annual risk management practices, and some are addressing it strategically by assessing its potential long-term industry-wide impacts. The two major federal insurance programs, however, have done little to develop comparable information. GAO acknowledges that the federal insurance programs are not profit-oriented, like private insurers. Nonetheless, a strategic analysis of the potential implications of climate change for the major... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This testimony discusses some of our recent work on federal climate change funding and voluntary programs. Increases in the earth's average temperature that have already occurred over the last 100 years, combined with additional future increases projected by a consensus of scientists, have the potential to dramatically change life on earth. For example, changes in the frequency and intensity of rainfall, both possible effects of climate change, could affect human health, agriculture, forests, and water supplies in certain locations. Effects on planetary biodiversity are projected to be even more pronounced. The Congress and the president have supported research to improve scientific understanding of the climate system and to develop new technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They have also created various federal programs to help reduce such emissions. These programs are largely voluntary and encourage private and public sector entities to adopt goals for reducing emissions. This testimony is based on our August 2005 report on federal climate change funding from 1993 through 2004 and our April 2006 report on voluntary programs that encourage industry participants to set greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. It focuses on (1) how total funding, funding by category, and funding by agency as reported by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) changed and the extent to which such funding data are comparable over time, and (2) the expectations for, and progress being made by, participants in two federal voluntary programs--the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Climate Leaders and the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Climate VISION--and these agencies' estimates of the programs' current coverage (the share of U.S. emissions that participants contribute to total U.S. emissions) and impact (emissions reduced). As reported by OMB, federal funding for climate change increased from $2.35 billion in 1993 to $5.09 billion in 2004 (117 percent), or from $3.28 billion to $5.09 billion (55 percent) after adjusting for inflation. During this period, federal funding increased for science, technology, and before adjusting for inflation, international assistance, according to OMB reports. CCSP, which reports only science funding, provided more detail, but generally presented totals that were consistent with OMB's. However, changes in methods used by both OMB and CCSP to report funding data made it difficult to compare the data over time, and therefore, to determine whether total funding actually increased as reported. We were unable to compare changes in the fourth category (climate-related tax expenditures), because from 1993 to 2004 OMB did not report estimates for existing tax expenditures. For individual agencies, OMB reported that 12 of the 14 agencies that received funding for climate change programs in 2004 received more funding in that year than they had in 1993. However,... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Congress has required annual reports on federal climate change spending. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reports funding for: technology (to reduce greenhouse gas emissions), science (to better understand the climate), international assistance (to help developing countries), and tax expenditures (to encourage emissions reduction). The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), which coordinates many agencies' activities, also reports on science funding. This testimony is based on GAO's August 2005 report Climate Change: Federal Reports on Climate Change Should Be Clearer and More Complete (GAO-05-461). GAO examined federal climate change funding for 1993 through 2004, including (1) how total funding and funding by category changed and whether funding data are comparable over time and (2) how funding by individual agencies changed and whether funding data are comparable over time. According to OMB, from 1993 to 2004, federal funding for climate change increased from $3.3 billion to $5.1 billion (55 percent) after adjusting for inflation. During this period, reported inflation-adjusted funding increased for technology and science, but decreased for international assistance. However, it is unclear whether funding changed as much as reported because changes in the format and content of OMB and CCSP reports make it difficult to compare funding data over time. For example, over time, OMB expanded the definitions of some accounts to include more activities, but did not specify how it changed the definitions. OMB officials stated that it is not required to follow a consistent reporting format from year to year. Further, CCSP's science funding reports were difficult to compare over time because CCSP introduced new methods for categorizing funding without explaining how they related to previous methods. The Director of CCSP said that its reports changed as the program evolved. These and other limitations make it difficult to determine actual changes in climate change funding. Similarly, OMB reported that 12 of the 14 agencies that funded climate change programs in 2004 increased such funding between 1993 and 2004, but unexplained changes in the reports' contents limit the comparability of data on funding by agency. For example, reported funding for the Department of Energy (DOE), the agency with the most reported climate-related funding in 2004, increased from $1.34 billion to $2.52 billion (88 percent) after adjusting for inflation. DOE and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration accounted for 81 percent of the reported increase in funding from 1993 through 2004. However, because agency funding totals are composed of individual accounts, changes in the reports' contents, such as the unexplained addition of accounts to the technology category, make it difficult to compare agencies' funding data over time and, therefore, to determine if this is a real or a definitional increase. Furthermore, GAO found that OMB reported... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]