On Oct. 1, 2014, the Obama Administration announced a new Climate Action Champions competition that will identify, showcase, and invest in up to 15 local and tribal governments across the country that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to cutting carbon pollution and preparing for the impacts of a changing climate. Administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the competition is a collaborative effort among multiple federal agencies.

With its dual focus on mitigating greenhouse gas pollution and building resilience to climate impacts at the local level, the Climate Action Champions competition takes an integrated approach to helping American communities accelerate and expand their efforts to address these interrelated goals. In addition to being recognized as climate leaders, designated Climate Action Champions will have access to a broad range of federal support designed to advance their efforts, such as:

  • Technical assistance to bolster current and planned mitigation and resiliency efforts, including an assigned a coordinator to help Champions leverage existing federal programs and resources, some of which may offer preference to Champions
  • Decision-making data and tools tailored to their communities—including validated climate science, vulnerability assessments, and risk projection tools to foster informed decisions and strategic planning
  • Peer networking opportunities through the Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities, including invitations to regional roundtables
  • Emergency response exercises offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess preparedness for and resilience to extreme weather events
  • Access to DOE renewable energy experts for unbiased information on solar policies and issues as well as assistance with local efforts to accelerate solar energy adoption
  • Opportunity to participate in the DOE Office of Indian Energy’s Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, which provides customized assistance to help Tribes develop renewable energy projects with an emphasis on energy system resilience.

In addition, Champions will have an opportunity to participate in new preparedness pilots designed to pair local or tribal communities with federal partners to assess expected local climate impacts and develop plans to address them cooperatively. Champions may also be eligible to receive technical assistance and support from the National Resource Network.

This is the first round of the Competition seeking a geographically and economically diverse set of communities that are already leaders in addressing and preparing for climate change. The next round of the Competition will seek communities that have shown a strong commitment and motivation to address climate change but that have not had the resources to make substantial investments to date. The pioneering Champions will be asked to mentor and share lessons learned with the communities selected in the next round, helping them to leapfrog common implementation challenges and creating a model for future Champions to follow.

Applications for the Competition are due Oct. 27.  Read the full announcement to learn more or apply now.