NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) has launched the Industry Proving Grounds (IPG) Task Group, which met in Asheville, NC, on June 11–13, 2024, for its inaugural kick-off meeting. This initiative, with support from Riverside Technology, inc. and its partners, aims to conduct extensive outreach and engagement with key industries including Retail, Engineering/Architecture, and Reinsurance/Insurance, to identify the environmental data needs of these sectors and develop new information products that fill these needs and drive climate change resilience. These products will improve how these industries plan and prepare for extreme weather events and the future of our environment, which will in turn support vulnerable populations and strengthen the U.S. economy.
The IPG Task Group will provide science and user engagement support to meet NOAA’s directives in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The team came together around the goals, objectives, roles, and action items of this important initiative over the three-day orientation. The IPG initiative hit the ground running by joining a workshop hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in late June 2024. The workshop deepened NOAA’s understanding of ASCE members’ needs and priorities for environmental data when considering climate risk reduction in building practices, standards, and codes. The IPG team has also been partnered with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) since May 2024 to identify priority needs for major national retailers. The Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in mid-July 2024 with NOAA/NCEI to partner with the IPG Task Group to identify priority data products and services that will enhance climate risk decision-making. These endeavors provide a unique opportunity to focus on increasing resilience across several sectors of the U.S. economy in response to climate risks and impacts, not only for the present but also with an eye to the future.