Announced at The Collider, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves announced an $85 million investment to support the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's efforts to deliver more modernized products and services to enhance climate data right here at the center in Asheville.
The Industry Proving Grounds Program initiative will promote actionable climate information by focusing on three key industries:
Finance and reinsurance
Retail
Architecture and engineering
Graves said addressing climate change and the climate crisis has been a top priority for the Biden Administration from the start.
“We take a whole of government approach to this work as we find ways to combat the impacts of climate change for all of our communities,” he said.
Graves said the IPG program was made possible through President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The program will also provide tools to help address what Graves described as a rapidly changing climate.
“Our economy, our businesses, our communities, our families can’t live up to their fullest potential while facing this climate crisis,” he said.
NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad described Tuesday as a milestone event in Asheville.
He said NOAA’s environmental intelligence is vital to combating the climate crisis and the center is always looking for ways to support industries, like with the IPG program.
“This new Industry Proving Grounds initiative is going to help advance NOAA’s keystone climate initiative to build a more climate-ready nation,” Spinrad explained.
For example, Spinrad said they’re going to help the insurance sector with better modeling and risk assessments for hail events, which he said has caused an average of $15 billion in damage to the United States every year.
They’ll also be working with the architect and engineering sector to help improve standards that will bend the curve due to extreme weather events.
He said they’ll also be working with the retail sector to share details on climate-related events, such as El Nino, to help them plan for potential supply chain disruptions.
Spinrad described the IPG program as a one-stop shop.
“Working with these industrial sectors to develop solutions and make sure they are meeting the best priority needs and are available for users and industry to apply them immediately,” he said.
Graves referred to Asheville as the “climate city,” and thinks that’s why it is perfect to be at the forefront of this type of partnership and leadership.
He said from the community level in Asheville to the national level through the Department of Commerce, they’re all fundamental players in the nation's data economy.
Graves acknowledged the efforts of Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer to adapt the city to the effects of climate change.
“Like establishing the Climate Justice Initiative to collaborate with Black and indigenous and people of color, leaders and community members to begin shaping a local relevant definition of climate equity,” he said.
He also said cited her efforts to incorporate strategies to reduce vulnerabilities to hazards.
“Like fire from drought or flooding from heavy rain into its comprehensive plan known as Living Asheville,” he said.
He believes the IPG program here will attract investment and people.
“This type of investment will allow for better data that the private sector can use to make better decisions to make the right type of investments that will generate this virtuous cycle of additional investments and innovations,” he said.
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DETAILS
Date:
January 25
Time:
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
VENUE
The Collider
1 Haywood St Asheville, NC 28801 United States + Google Map
Phone
+1 828-254-6283