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NOAA Administrator: This Earth Day, Let's Get Climate Ready

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Accurate predictability is the basis of building trust. And that trust is what allows us to coordinate our actions and forge a thriving economy.

Take, for instance, restaurant owners on the Gulf Coast. They need predictability to run their businesses, including when local fishermen will have fresh catch available for their menus, what the best weeks for summer tourism will be, and which months have the highest likelihood of hurricanes. All of this knowledge helps businesses function and local economies hum.

Lives, lifestyles and livelihoods are dependent on predictability. Our experiences based on past events allow us to play the odds and thrive in an uncertain world, whether we’re business owners, fishermen, or tourists.

Accurate predictability is the basis of building trust. And that trust is what allows us to coordinate our actions and forge a thriving economy.

Take, for instance, restaurant owners on the Gulf Coast. They need predictability to run their businesses, including when local fishermen will have fresh catch available for their menus, what the best weeks for summer tourism will be, and which months have the highest likelihood of hurricanes. All of this knowledge helps businesses function and local economies hum.

Lives, lifestyles and livelihoods are dependent on predictability. Our experiences based on past events allow us to play the odds and thrive in an uncertain world, whether we’re business owners, fishermen, or tourists.

Easily accessible data tools will be the key to successfully preparing for the effects of climate change. A climate-ready nation makes informed decisions not merely from the top down but from the middle out, and the bottom up. Just as governors and mayors will have the tools to incorporate climate into their decision-making, so too will small business owners, workers, and homeowners. Information helps protect us from the unknown, and in a future shaped by climate change, knowledge truly is power.

Earth Day is an opportunity to honor our planet, advocate for its protection, and bring awareness to pressing environmental matters. As we celebrate, let’s reflect on what it means to be climate ready. Preparedness in the face of climate change will require trust, collaboration, and innovation — all hallmarks of the movement that founded Earth Day and continues its tradition.