This is historical material “frozen in time.” The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.

Home
Agencies
Goals
Initiatives
Programs

API
About
FAQ

You are hereHome

Primary tabs

View(active tab)
Show Changes

Strategic Objective

Enable U.S. businesses to adapt and prosper by developing environmental and climate informed solutions. (ITA, ESA, NIST, NOAA)

Strategic Objective

Themes:

Natural Resources and Environment

DOC.gov

Facebook Twitter Linkdin Mail RSS

XML

CSV

Overview
Progress Update

Overview

To survive and flourish, businesses must be able to adapt to the changing environment by balancing environmental, social, and economic concerns. When businesses adopt processes and solutions that recognize the importance of the environment and climate, the results can include cost savings and new commercial products and services that improve profitability and competitiveness. At the same time, the positive power and reach of business and markets will further our shared environmental, social, and economic goals for the health of the Nation.

The Department is uniquely

Progress Update

During FY 2014, the Department of Commerce (DOC) made good progress in helping U.S. businesses to adapt and prosper by developing environmental and climate informed solutions. The lack of a strong, predictable domestic market continues to hinder the global competitiveness of U.S. clean energy companies; in addition, like U.S. environmental technologies firms, their global market share has been eroded by lower cost suppliers abroad. Trade missions and information portals (e.g. www.export.gov/reee and www.export.gov/envirotech) helped support businesses. New software was made publicly available for architects and businesses to use in assessing sustainable building designs (birdscom.nist.gov), and a robust inter-bureau (ESA, ITA, NIST, NOAA) dialogue to frame future conversations with businesses around natural capital values was begun.

Accomplishments include:

Boost exports of environmental and clean energy technologies (ITA)

ITA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Environmental Solutions Toolkit to allow U.S. companies to showcase their technologies to foreign buyers who can also access EPA’s work on any mobile platform.
ITA completed two Top Export Market Studies (Renewable Energy and Environmental Technologies) to provide additional data on foreign markets to U.S. firms seeking to export.

Develop Standards and tools to assess green building technologies (NIST)

NIST successfully completed the design and review phase of Building Industry Reporting and Design for Sustainability, otherwise known as BIRDS. This new science-based online software tool was created by NIST to enable building professionals and other users to assess three major determinants of building stability: energy, environmental, and cost performance. The tool was publicly deployed in early October 2014.

Engage targeted business sectors to integrate natural capital values into their business models (ESA, NOAA)

ESA and NOAA developed a concept paper on how to implement a series of business roundtables focused on engaging industry in valuing natural capital. The bureaus identified a cluster mapping approach for identifying target industries to engage in the roundtables.

Next Steps in FY 2015:

FY2015 Q1-Q4 – ITA will work to leverage staff expertise to ensure that environmental and clean energy businesses are included as part of trade missions in related infrastructure areas.
FY2015 Q1 – Launch cross-bureau steering committee and complete action plan for holding series of Natural Capital Business Roundtables in order to leverage expertise from across the Department (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q1 – Collect existing natural capital tools and other relevant info needed in order to develop an initial template for a web-based tool, ACE for the Environment (ACE-E) (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q2 – Hold first roundtable in the Gulf of Mexico to engage businesses in the value of natural capital; measure number of engaged businesses (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q2 – Develop first version of ACE-E, based on industry input following the first roundtable, in order to provide industry with a web-based economic tool (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q3 – Release the public versions of four individual Top Export Market Studies (i.e., Renewable Energy, Smart Grid, Civil Nuclear and Environmental Technologies) (ITA)
FY2015 Q3 – Develop an online buyer’s guide for the renewable energy sector, similar to the Environmental Solutions Toolkit (ITA)
FY2015 Q3 – Hold second roundtable on natural capital in the Great Lakes region in order to target regional industries; measure number of engaged businesses (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q4 – Hold third roundtable on natural capital in the Northeast U.S. in order to target regional industries; measure number of engaged businesses (ESA, NOAA)
FY2015 Q4 – Develop revised version of ACE-E based on industry input following the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, and Northeast roundtables in order to provide a comprehensive online economic tool for businesses across the U.S. (ESA, NOAA)

Expand All

Strategic Goals

Strategic Goal:

Ensure communities and businesses have the necessary information, products, and services to prepare for and prosper in a changing environment

Statement:

Ensure communities and businesses have the necessary information, products, and services to prepare for and prosper in a changing environment

Strategic Objectives

Foster healthy and sustainable marine resources, habitats, and ecosystems through improved management and partnerships. (NOAA)

Statement:

Foster healthy and sustainable marine resources, habitats, and ecosystems through improved management and partnerships. (NOAA)

Description:

The ocean economy contributes more than $250 billion annually to the Nation’s economy, supports approximately 44 million jobs in coastal counties, and enhances diverse ocean-based communities. The many economic, social, and environmental benefits that ocean ecosystems provide are jeopardized by global demands for seafood and energy, coastal development, increased tourism and recreational use. Threats from climate change, ocean acidification, coastal wetland loss, and other environmental stressors are even more ominous. They threaten human health and the domestic food supply. They place greater stress on overexploited fish stocks, iconic marine species, and their habitats, and reduce ecosystem sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience.

Effective policy and management of human activities, based on strong science, partnerships, and technology, are essential to sustain healthy ocean resources, habitats, ecosystems and coastal communities. The Department has strong legislative mandates and a pivotal role in sustaining marine fisheries and ecosystems, protecting sensitive areas and cultural heritage, and limiting the consequences of cumulative impacts.

Learn More

FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Confirm elimination of Overfishing

Statement:

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will confirm the elimination of overfishing on all 21 U.S. domestic stocks identified as subject to overfishing as of June 30, 2013 by comparing catch data relative to overfishing limits (OFLs).

Description:

The purpose of this goal is to show that by implementing rigorous limits on annual catch, the U.S. can end and prevent overfishing. This is a key step to ensuring the sustainable management of our nation’s fisheries. Federal fishery management is based on the concept of maximum sustainable yield, which is the largest long-term average catch that can be taken from a stock under prevailing environmental and fishery conditions. A stock that is subject to overfishing has a fishing mortality (harvest) rate higher than the rate that produces maximum sustainable yield. The amount of catch equivalent to this harvest rate is the overfishing limit (OFL).

The Magnuson-Stevens Act is the primary law that governs how fisheries are managed in U.S. federal waters. When the Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized in 2007, it mandated that annual catch limits (ACLs) be put in place for all federally managed domestic fish stocks, with certain exceptions. ACLs are set at a level below the OFL to account for scientific uncertainty and to reduce the risk of overfishing. ACLs are in place for all fish stocks as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. These catch limits should keep catch below the OFL and prevent overfishing on these stocks. Preventing overfishing should increase the long-term economic and social benefits of the nation’s fisheries.

Learn More

Improve preparedness, response, and recovery from weather and water events by building a Weather-Ready Nation. (NOAA, Census)

Statement:

Improve preparedness, response, and recovery from weather and water events by building a Weather-Ready Nation. (NOAA, Census)

Description:

Weather affects almost every endeavor in the Nation. Major industries and small businesses alike depend on weather, water, and climate information to make informed decisions and plan for the future. Extreme events are becoming the norm. Winter storms, flooding, drought, hurricanes, wildfires, extreme temperatures, and tornados can cost lives and billions of dollars in damage. The steep increases in damaging weather-related events and associated societal impacts highlight the growing importance of weather, water, and climate information. Urbanization, migration to coastal communities, and a growing population also increasingly put people and businesses at greater risk.

A Weather-Ready Nation is about building community preparedness in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events. The Department will continue its critical role in protecting the lives, property, and the economy by providing valuable weather, water, and climate products and services. This role will be expanded to embrace collaboration and seek new ways to create value beyond traditional forecasting activities. Delivering enhanced weather, water, and climate information will help communities and businesses to be ready, responsive, and resilient. Refining how the information is shared and ultimately used will make the U.S. that much more weather ready.

Learn More

FY 14-15 Priority Goal: Improve Forecasting Accuracy and Lead Times for Severe Weather

Statement:

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will improve its overall weather forecast model accuracy to 9 days which will enable more accurate, consistent, longer lead time for specific weather event forecasts and warnings.

Description:

Major weather events demonstrate the importance of hazard preparedness and response in the United States. Improved weather forecast accuracy, combined with enhanced decision support services, allow emergency management and the American public more time to prepare for high-impact weather events. This enables protection of life and property and enhancement of the U.S. economy.

A key way to measure improvements in model performance is to examine how far into the future Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) guidance demonstrates skill. Model output ceases to have useful skill at predicting the weather at longer forecast lengths. Large scale weather patterns that affect the local weather that each of us experience on a daily basis, are driven by features in the mid-levels of the atmosphere. During the past 20 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Weather Service (NWS) has seen its ability to provide useful predictions of future high-impact weather events extend from 6 days to 8 days.

This goal focuses on improving the Global Forecast System model 2013 that currently has useful skill at forecasting the mid-levels of the atmosphere across the globe out to 8.0 days. Upon completion of forecasting upgrades over the next two years, the NWS expects to extend this out to 9 days.

Improving global weather prediction facilitates improvements to regional, local scale models that provide accurate information about the formation and movement of high impact storms in the right place at the right time. Knowing with a good level of confidence that the storm is coming 5 days in advance enables for significantly improved response. Evacuations from hurricanes require 3 full days, and thus accurate, consistent forecasts 4-7 days in advance are invaluable to people who have to make these critical decisions. Increased lead time means lives saved and property protected. NWS will also continue efforts to support the use of improved weather forecast data by emergency managers through better impact-based decision support services. Achieving this priority goal will allow NWS to predict farther into the future and enable the American public to make the right choices when extreme weather threatens.

Learn More

Enable U.S. businesses to adapt and prosper by developing environmental and climate informed solutions. (ITA, ESA, NIST, NOAA)

Statement:

Enable U.S. businesses to adapt and prosper by developing environmental and climate informed solutions. (ITA, ESA, NIST, NOAA)

Description:

Learn More

Strengthen the resiliency of communities and regions by delivering targeted services to build capacity. (NOAA, NIST, EDA)

Statement:

Strengthen the resiliency of communities and regions by delivering targeted services to build capacity. (NOAA, NIST, EDA, Census)

Description:

Many U.S. communities face significant environmental changes, natural disasters, or economic disruptions. They need plans to reduce the effects, adapt to future changes, and support long-term recovery efforts. A key component of these plans should be actionable information to aid in managing risk and in developing and evaluating options to adapt to and mitigate future environmental and economic change. The Department has been an essential source of information needed to invigorate communities, ecosystems, and economies.

The Department will strengthen community-based resilience efforts. It will promote preparedness, protect critical public resources, support science and research germane to preparedness and resilience, and ensure that federal operations continue to serve citizens in a changing climate. The means to these ends will be building on a strong scientific foundation and decades of engagement with interagency, academic, and private sector partners.

Learn More

Advance the understanding and prediction of changes in the environment through world class science and observations. (NOAA, NIST)

Statement:

Advance the understanding and prediction of changes in the environment through world class science and observations. (NOAA, NIST)

Description:

In order to meet the needs of communities and businesses in a changing environment, comprehensive and integrated observations and an improved understanding of the Earth system are needed. To make this improved understanding useful to society, it must be employed in models and applications that are used in planning and decision making.

The Department has a tremendous diversity of world-leading capabilities supporting the research, development, and observations required for state-of-the-art models and applications critical to national well-being. NOAA’s Five-year Research and Development Plan will advance innovative research that pushes the boundaries of scientific understanding, integrates information across scientific disciplines, and transitions new information and technology into improved products and services. NOAA will strive to modernize observation systems of satellites and ships and maintain core observation system infrastructure. Also, NIST is working to develop reliable, internationally-accepted measurement standards and methodologies that are the basis for future-generation measurement and monitoring capabilities. The Department will continue to work closely with its scientific partners to advance R&D to support the lives and livelihoods of the Nation’s citizens.

Learn More

Download
Featured Report

Agency Plans and Reports

Agency Strategic Plan

Accessibility
Privacy Policy