FEMA strips mention of “climate change” from its strategic plan
By Christopher Flavelle
15 March 2018
(Bloomberg News) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, responsible for dealing with the effects of disasters like hurricanes and floods, has stripped the words “climate change” from the document meant to guide its actions over the next four years.FEMA on Thursday released its strategic plan for 2018-2022. It replaces a version issued under former President Barack Obama that repeatedly cited the challenges caused by a changing climate, and the need for FEMA to incorporate those risks into its long-term plans. [At least the FEMA page on climate change remains in place. For now. –Des]By contrast, the new document doesn’t mention climate, global warming, sea-level rise, extreme weather, or any other terminology associated with scientific predictions of rising surface temperatures and their effects.“Disaster costs are expected to continue to increase due to rising natural hazard risk, decaying critical infrastructure, and economic pressures that limit investments in risk resilience,” the plan states, without saying what might be causing that natural hazard risk to rise.“2017 was an
unprecedented year in the wake of
Hurricanes Harvey,
Irma, Maria, and the
California wildfires,
with more than 25
million people
affected by these
major disasters – almost 8 percent of
the United States population.”In a statement, the agency said that its plan “fully incorporates future risks from all hazards regardless of cause. Building upon the foundation established by FEMA’s previous two Strategic Plans, this plan commits the agency, and the nation, to taking proactive steps to increasing pre-disaster investments in preparedness and mitigation.”The document notes that hurricanes and wildfires in 2017 represented “historic disasters,” but it makes no mention of the conclusions by other federal agencies that such disasters are likely to get worse as the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases.Brock Long, whom President Donald Trump appointed to run FEMA last year, has equivocated on whether climate change is real and man-made. “The term climate change has become such a political hot button that, I think, I keeps us from having a real dialogue,” he told Bloomberg in an interview last summer. [more]
FEMA Strips Mention of ‘Climate Change’ From Its Strategic Plan
What's the REAL reason this is being done? It seems to me the government is trying to absolve itself of responsibility, for the inevitable catastrophes ahead. I don't buy for a second, that they aren't fully aware of what's happening. (At least at the highest levels) In order to preserve their power, they are throwing everyone under the bus.
Anon – this is another connedspiracy theory without merit. If they "threw everyone under the bus to preserve their power" it would accomplish nothing.
a) The Trump Administration has made it painfully clear that "climate change" will not be publicly tolerated as the Administration pretends to appeal to its base.
b) In order to "preserve their power" they simply need to keep the wheels spinning. Their trying to cater to the flat-earthers, bible-thumpers and right wing rabid screechers, who they are trying to represent. This is exactly the opposite of throwing everyone under the bus.
c) It's been reported that scientists are still able to go about their business and deal with the science of climate change (for the most part), but the media outlets and public face / presentation of climate change has changed, in accordance with the Trump Tragedy. And there's been people quitting, downsizing, frustrated, etc., due to the agencies and their "redirection".
d) They ARE keenly aware of the unfolding disasters ahead – and under Trump, have their hands tied for the most part.
The "real reason" is what you already know – Donald Trump, Henchman & Company. Idiots and science haters that seek to rape, pillage, destroy and plunder as fast as they can, while they can. So change the public face of climate alarm and promote energy infrastructure or jobs or making lala land great again.
The responsibility is all of us. Government, business, industry, you, me – we are all responsible and nobody is doing enough. We're only pretending we "care". But we really don't. Actions triumph more words, or mere words. And words is pretty much all we get. Striking "climate change" from more words isn't particularly meaningful.