A view of Earth's horizon from the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
NASA is an expert in climate and Earth science. While its role is not to set climate policy or prescribe particular responses or solutions to climate change, its job does include providing the scientific data needed to understand climate change. NASA then makes this information available to the global community – the public, policy-, and decision-makers and scientific and planning agencies around the world. (For more information, see NASA's role.)
With that said, NASA takes sustainability very seriously. NASA’s sustainability policy is to execute its mission as efficiently as possible. In doing so, we continually improve our space and ground operations.
Sustainability involves taking action now to protect the environment for both current and future living conditions. In implementing sustainability practices, NASA supports its missions by reducing risks to the environment and our communities.
In executing its mission, NASA's sustainability objectives are to:
- increase energy efficiency;
- increase the use of renewable energy;
- measure, report, and reduce NASA's direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions;
- conserve and protect water resources through efficiency, reuse, and stormwater management;
- eliminate waste, prevent pollution, and increase recycling;
- leverage agency acquisitions to foster markets for sustainable technologies and environmentally preferable materials, products, and services;
- design, construct, maintain, and operate high-performance sustainable buildings;
- utilize power management options and reduce the number of agency data centers;
- support economic growth and livability of the communities where NASA conducts business;
- evaluate agency climate change risks and vulnerabilities and develop mitigation and adaptation measures to manage both the short-and long-term effects of climate change on the agency's mission and operations;
- raise employee awareness and encourage each individual in the NASA community to apply the concepts of sustainability to every aspect of their daily work to achieve these goals;
- maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, local or territorial law and regulations related to energy security, a healthy environment, and environmentally-sound operations; and
- comply with internal NASA requirements and agreements with other entities.
For more information on NASA's numerous plans to upgrade infrastructure, reduce energy intensity, and decrease water use, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/on-a-changing-planet-nasa-goes-green
https://www.sustainability.gov/nasa.html
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/sustainability/index.html
https://www.nasa.gov/emd/sustainable-acquisition
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/sustainability/index.html
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/greenspace/nasas-role.html#green%20aviation
The following selected resources from U.S. government organizations provide information about options for responding to climate change.
Data and Information
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Data related to climate change that can help inform and prepare America’s communities, businesses and citizens.
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Provides scientific tools, information and expertise to help people manage their climate-related risks and opportunities, and improve their resilience to extreme events.
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From supercomputers and state-of-the-art models to observations and outlooks, this site provides data, tools and information to help people understand and prepare for climate variability and change.
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Describes strategies currently being pursued or considered to reduce carbon emissions and address global climate change.
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Tools for learning and understanding environmental issues and recommendations for greener living.
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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Online newsletter concerning issues about the U.N.'s convention on long-term climate change.
