Cooperative Extension System Climate Action Plan

With over a century of experience, Extension is well-positioned to be a leading climate solutions provider. Extension's network translates cutting-edge research from Land-grant universities into actionable education and resources for local communities. In partnership with the University of New Hampshire and the Extension Foundation through a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute on Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), leaders from the Cooperative Extension System (CES) have released a groundbreaking Climate Action Plan white paper. The heart of this white paper lies in the National Climate Change Roadmap, published in late 2023. This white paper outlines innovative solutions uniquely tailored to combat the climate crisis. It follows a significant gathering of Extension leaders in early 2024 - the Climate Action Convening - to identify and strategize on effective climate action pathways. One of the significant outcomes of the Climate Action Convening was the development of four climate change models designed to tackle key climate challenges. These models aim to expand existing partnerships and forge new ones, leveraging Extension's embedded network within communities to deliver equitable, measurable, and lasting climate solutions. The Climate Action Plan integrates climate action with Extension's other high-priority issues, such as broadband access, economic development, food systems, and health equity.

ATTRIBUTION

The Cooperative Extension System Climate Action Plan: A Vision for Co-Creating Climate Change Solutions With Our Partners for Agricultural Lands, Natural Resources, and Community

ISBN: 978-1-955687-47-8

Publish Date: June 11, 2024

Citations for this publication may be made using the following:

The Extension Foundation (2024). The Cooperative Extension System Climate Action Plan: A Vision for Co-Creating Climate Change Solutions With Our Partners for Agricultural Lands, Natural Resources, and Community. Kansas City: Extension Foundation. ISBN: 978-1-955687-47-8

Producer: Ashley S. Griffin

Technical Implementer and Editing: Rose Hayden-Smith

Welcome to The Cooperative Extension System Climate Action Plan: A Vision for Co-Creating Climate Change Solutions With Our Partners for Agricultural Lands, Natural Resources, and Community, a white paper created for the Cooperative Extension Service and published by the Extension Foundation. We welcome feedback and suggested resources for this publication, which could be included in any subsequent versions. This publication and work is supported in part by the New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Additional support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture was provided through conference grant no. 2024-67019-41467. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information please contact:

Extension Foundation c/o Bryan Cave LLP One Kansas City Place

1200 Main Street, Suite 3800 Kansas City, MO 64105-2122 https://extension.org/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Attribution............................................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................ 3 Welcome Letter: A Bold Vision for Locally-Led Climate Action .................................................... 4 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary: Insights From The Climate Action Convening ............................................ 7 The Extension Climate Action Convening and the National Climate Change Roadmap..................................7 What’s the most important thing that came out of the Climate Action Convening? .......................................... 8 How should I read this white paper if I’m in a hurry? ........................................................................................ 8 What qualifies Extension to be a climate solutions provider? ........................................................................... 8 What happens next? .......................................................................................................................................... 8 The Climate Action Plan Framework and Three Priority Workstreams ........................................ 9 Summary: Three Priority Workstreams ............................................................................................................. 9 Inside the Climate Action Plan Process.......................................................................................... 10 How Extension Makes an Impact on Critical Issues ....................................................................................... 14 Climate Outcomes and Activities: An Overview of the Four Extension Models........................ 14 Model: Expanding Climate-Smart Policies and Policymaker Engagement..................................................... 15 Model: Fostering Climate Resilient Communities ........................................................................................... 17 Model: Implementing a Climate Response...................................................................................................... 22 Model: Advancing 21 st Century Community Well-Being for All ....................................................................... 26 How to Engage with the Climate Action Plan................................................................................. 29 What is the Cooperative Extension System’s Vision for Climate Action? ................................. 30 Local Impact Guides Our Climate Action Plan ................................................................................................ 30 By the Numbers ............................................................................................................................................... 30 What Climate Benefits Can Extension and Its Partners Deliver? ................................................................... 31 Appendix A: Models Underpinning the Outcomes ........................................................................ 32 Expanding Climate-Smart Policies and Policymaker Engagement................................................................. 32 Fostering Climate Resilient Communities ....................................................................................................... 34 Implementing Climate Response..................................................................................................................... 40 Advancing 21 st Century Community Well-Being For All .................................................................................. 44

Appendix B: Works Cited ................................................................................................................. 47

Appendix C: Resources .................................................................................................................... 48

WELCOME LETTER: A BOLD VISION FOR LOCALLY-LED CLIMATE ACTION

Severe weather is a recurring and devastating threat to communities across the nation. In 2023 alone, 28 weather events caused more than $1 billion in losses each, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These events have increased over the past 10 years compared to the preceding decades. The Cooperative Extension System (Extension) acknowledges the urgent need for clear-minded planning and action to mitigate the risk of global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050, as identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is with these realities in mind that we advance this white paper, which presents a vision for Extension climate solutions across the U.S., its territories, and the Indigenous nations therein in the coming years. Since 1914, Extension has taken insights from Land-grant universities and colleges, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities, and translated it into actionable and relevant education for everyone. In 2021, Extension Directors identified climate change as one of seven priority areas for Extension and partnered with Extension Foundation to provide national leadership on the subject. After laying a foundation for action and developing a network of Extension climate leaders, Extension Foundation — in partnership with USDA and Iowa State University — held a Climate Action Convening from Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2024, in Tucson, Ariz., gathering more than 40 Extension professionals, who served as ambassadors for the larger system. Participants focused on agricultural lands, natural resources, and community. This work strives to include all residents of a community, encompassing both agricultural and non-agricultural lifestyles, across rural, suburban, and urban communities. The participants’ insights resulted in the creation of this white paper’s models. Together, they outline a holistic approach for Extension collaboration on climate across its vast partner and client ecosystem. Extension seeks to foster climate resilient communities, expand science-based policies and policymaker engagement, implement climate responses through climate-smart training and literacy, and advance 21 st century community well-being for all.

Will you join us?

Sincerely,

Roy Beckford Director, University of Vermont Extension Co-Chair, Climate Program Action Team (Climate PAT)

Jason Henderson Vice President for Extension and Outreach, Iowa State University Co-Chair, Climate Program Action Team (Climate PAT)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The co-chairs offer our gratitude to all the institutions and individuals that made this work possible. Special thanks to Iowa State University, which sponsored the Climate Action Convening and the resources needed to write this white paper, and to the USDA NIFA/AFRI for the conference grant it provided.

Our planning committee played an instrumental role in conceptualizing and implementing the Convening and helped in writing and organizing the white paper. The planning committee included:

Roy Beckford (University of Vermont), Nate Birt (Silver Maple Strategies), Sylvie Brouder (Purdue University), Laura Edwards (South Dakota State University), Regan Emmons (Extension Foundation), Jason Henderson (Iowa State University), Megan Hirschman (Extension Foundation), Roslynn McCann (Utah State University), Carrie McKillip (University of Illinois), and Chuck Ross (Extension Foundation). We greatly appreciate the insights of the USDA team that joined us for the Climate Action Convening: Bill Hohenstein (USDA), Kevin Kephart (USDA NIFA), Lynn Knight (USDA Climate Hubs), and Adam Wilke (USDA NIFA). Thank you all for your support.

Special thanks are also due to the team of facilitators from the Extension Foundation: Ashley Griffin, Molly Immendorf, and Fred Schlutt.

This historic convening gathered leaders from the three Land-grant systems. Special thanks to Raymon Shange from Tuskegee University, who helped the planning committee extend the invitation to his 1890 colleagues. Some individuals traveled long distances to join the convening, from as far away as America Samoa and Hawaii. Thank you for joining us.

Those who joined us in Arizona for the Climate Action Convening contributed to the development of this white paper. We are so grateful to each of you for participating. The list of those in attendance is included below.

Roy Beckford, University of Vermont Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M

Jamie Benning, Iowa State University Alicia Betancourt, University of Florida Nate Birt, Silver Maple Strategies Consulting Alejandro Bolques, Florida A&M Denise Natoli Brooks, Central State University Sylvie Brouder, Purdue University Chris Callahan, University of Vermont Mike Crimmins, University of Arizona Kimberly Davis, Florida A&M Laura Edwards, South Dakota State University Regan Emmons, Extension Foundation Henry English, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Ali Fares, Prairie View A&M Gregg Garfin, University of Arizona Ashley Griffin, Extension Foundation Vickie Hebb, University of Nevada Jason Henderson, Iowa State University Megan Hirschman, Extension Foundation Bill Hohenstein, USDA John Idowu, New Mexico State University Molly Immendorf, Extension Foundation Monica Jean, Michigan State University Jodi Johnson-Maynard, University of Georgia Shibu Kar, University of Illinois

David Kay, Cornell University Kevin Kephart, USDA NIFA Lynn Knight, USDA Climate Hubs Benita Litson, Din é College

Roslynn McCann, Utah State University Ashley McGuigan, University of Hawaii Carrie McKillip, University of Illinois Sarah-Mae Nelson, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Betsy Newman, Western Rural Development Center Brenda Ortiz, Auburn University Tapan Pathak, UC Merced and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

Maud Powell, Oregon State University Franklin Quarcoo, Tuskegee University David Ripplinger, North Dakota State University Heidi Roop, University of Minnesota Chuck Ross, Extension Foundation, Fred Schlutt, Extension Foundation Hans Schmitz, Purdue University Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho DJ Sene, American Samoa Community College Raymon Shange, Tuskegee University Peter Tomlinson, Kansas State University Patricia Townsend, Washington State University Jenifer Wightman, Cornell University Adam Wilke, USDA NIFA Janine P. Woods, Virginia State University Mike Yoder, North Carolina State University

Group photo taken at the Climate Action Convening held in Tucson, Arizona in 2024.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: INSIGHTS FROM THE CLIMATE ACTION CONVENING

Leaders from across the Cooperative Extension System (Extension) convened in early 2024 to identify climate solutions that the Extension network is uniquely suited to deliver. For a deeper dive on each priority workstream, see the pages that follow.

The Extension Climate Action Convening and the National Climate Change Roadmap Publication of the National Climate Change Roadmap (Roadmap) in late 2023 served as the starting point for envisioning how the power of Extension might further be harnessed to address the climate crisis. The Roadmap was developed by researchers at Colorado State University and Meridian Institute with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It incorporates the expertise of 20 Extension Directors and other multidisciplinary experts from Land-grant universities across the country. Post-publication, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy’s (ECOP) Climate Program Action Team (PAT) hosted a joint webinar with the authors of the Roadmap to explore its contents. Thereafter, Extension announced the Climate Action Convening, inviting national leaders in Extension climate change programming and encouraging them to review the Roadmap beforehand. Many of the Roadmap’s seven insights and all of the nine guiding principles align with the envisioned activities and outcomes contained within this white paper. Throughout the development of this white paper, Extension professionals repeatedly identified ways they could help address specific Roadmap insights and guiding principles. Quoting from the Roadmap, the aligned insights and guiding principles included:

Insights:



Systems-based Innovations



Participatory Research Processes

 Strategic, Sustainable and Regenerative Agricultural Practices; and



Socioeconomic and Policy Research.

Guiding Principles:



Equity and Justice



Policy Relevance



Contextual Considerations



Risk and Vulnerability



Traditional Ecological Knowledge



Strategic Communications



Co-production with end-users



Systems thinking



User-centered

To view the Roadmap, visit the USDA-NIFA website.

What’s the most important thing that came out of the Climate Action Convening? Extension professionals representing the 32,000-employee system developed four climate change models (models) for developing and implementing programs to address key climate change challenges. The organization seeks to expand existing partnerships and forge new ones to deliver on its theory of change, providing equitable, measurable, and lasting climate solutions . It is deeply embedded and networked into communities. Extension represents an experienced and skilled workforce of leading doers, problem-solvers, and thinkers — the ideal partner to any organization or community seeking meaningful climate action with tangible results that can be experienced, felt, and seen.

How should I read this white paper if I’m in a hurry?

We encourage all readers to review the summary description of each priority workstream — Agricultural Lands, Natural Resources, and Community — found on page 9.

Then, review the following pages, which contain high-level overviews of four models. Collectively, they highlight Extension’s theory of change. They show the kinds of climate outcomes Extension professionals seek to deliver and the inputs and outputs needed to support their delivery.

Finally, see page 29 - How To Engage With The Climate Action Plan, which outlines opportunities areas for new and expanded partnerships with Extension in the areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

What qualifies Extension to be a climate solutions provider? For more than a century, Extension has engaged local communities across the U.S., its territories, and the Indigenous nations therein, translating the best research and information from Land-grant colleges and universities into actionable education, programming, and resources. Extension leadership has identified climate as a critical issue for society. Leadership also understands that climate is connected to each high-priority issue it has identified, including but not limited to broadband access and digital skills; climate mitigation, resiliency, and adaptation; diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; economic and workforce development; food systems and food waste; health equity and well-being; positive youth development and urban agriculture and food systems. The Climate Action Plan is a necessary and urgent next step in taking the best and brightest of Extension and its collaborators, putting them to work in the service of every American facing the unprecedented urgency and reality of climate change. What happens next? Extension will implement its communications strategy to raise awareness about the outcomes identified in the Climate Action Convening — and about the opportunities to partner for change. A progress report and an announcement of initial partners — known as Extension Climate Partners — will be shared when available. We anticipate future convenings. To be added to our email list, please email the Climate PAT at climatepat@extension.org. Extension professionals may also join the Climate PAT subgroup on Connect, the Extension Foundation’s platform.

Individuals are also encouraged to join the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) and/or the National Extension Climate Initiative (NECI).

THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FRAMEWORK AND THREE PRIORITY WORKSTREAMS

Climate Action Convening participants focused on answering a central question: How can we leverage the U.S. Cooperative Extension System to quickly and effectively contribute to climate change solutions?

Over two days, they engaged in activities such as solo-storming (individual brainstorming), small-group breakouts, and full-group readouts and discussions. Combined, they surfaced climate outcomes that Extension and its collaborators could successfully deliver, given the right people and resources. To aid the discussion and move toward action, the conversation focused on three priority workstreams that could quickly be mobilized — Agricultural Lands, Natural Resources, and Community. Post-convening, participants took all of the insights from the convening and turned them into a series of four models. The models capture the inputs, assets, activities, and outputs needed to realize the envisioned climate outcomes over short (1-3 years), medium (4-9 years) and long (10-plus years) terms.

The following pages provide a detailed look at the Climate Action Plan that Extension seeks to implement with its growing partnership network.

Summary: Three Priority Workstreams The primary focus areas of agricultural lands, natural resources, and community align closely with the National Climate Change Roadmap funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture . They represent areas in which Extension can be particularly effective on climate action in light of its history, skills, and relationships at the community level.

Agricultural Lands

 Extension will expand the capacity of agricultural lands managers, service providers, personnel at state and federal agencies, and policymakers to provide decision-making tools and resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Natural Resources

 Extension will accelerate the expanded use and maintenance of climate-smart practices and nature- based approaches in partnership with all clients who manage and steward natural resources across the U.S., its territories, and the Indigenous nations therein.

Community

 Extension will help community leaders, businesses, residents, and utilities integrate climate-smart practices and processes into their daily lives. This includes but is not limited to access to clean air and clean water; quality food and reduced food waste; clean, affordable, and efficient energy; property weatherization; and an affordable grid and reliable public transportation.

These three priority workstreams can benefit from the support of Extension and its partners as they jointly work on climate action initiatives.

INSIDE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN PROCESS

Over two days, Extension leaders gathered in Tucson to identify the best opportunities for Extension to deliver meaningful climate action at the local level. The following entails a brief overview of the process that led to the Climate Action Plan.

Step 1: Assemble the Climate Action Convening participants

Climate Action Convening Agenda

Step 2: Discuss and surface climate insights across the three priority workstreams

Step 3: Solo-storm (individual brainstorming to surface subject matter experts’ insights and opportunities)

Step 4: Identify near-term opportunities for climate action

Step 5: Coalesce around desired climate outcomes

Step 6: Identify the inputs, assets, activities, and outputs to achieve the climate outcomes

Step 7: Report out as a group to inform creation of the Climate Action Plan white paper

How Extension Makes an Impact on Critical Issues

Extension excels at helping communities navigate complex challenges, from climate to immunization. Here’s just one example illustrating how we meet moments of unprecedented need.

Strengthening Immunization Education Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, Extension, led by ECOP, partnered with Extension Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and USDA-NIFA for a $10 million interagency agreement. Extension helped meet the needs of 105 Extension projects, enabling critical adult immunization education outreach through 76 Land-grant universities (LGUs) for underserved populations, reaching over 15 million individuals, and forming over 400 new local partnerships.

CLIMATE OUTCOMES AND ACTIVITIES: AN OVERVIEW OF THE FOUR EXTENSION MODELS

To clarify its vision for continued climate impact, Extension developed a series of four models. Taken together, they are designed to illustrate how Extension professionals and their partners will take proactive climate action across agricultural lands, natural resources, and communities in the years ahead. This section of the white paper summarizes each model broadly, including medium- and long-term climate outcomes Extension envisions delivering with its partners in the years ahead, and short-term outcomes in the next one to three years. There is tremendous momentum on climate change mitigation and adaptation. This plan is designed to accelerate that pace further with strategic focus on activities Extension is uniquely suited to support. Each summary includes a description of the model, anticipated outcomes delivered, and corresponding activities needed to achieve those outcomes. The summaries also include information on available Extension resources – and additional investments of financing, time, and expertise needed to make them a reality.

To view the completed models including medium-term (4-9 years) and long-term (10+ years) outcomes, please see Appendix A.

Model: Expanding Climate-Smart Policies and Policymaker Engagement

Vision: Extension will leverage its trust as a community partner and expertise in climate-smart insights, research, and applied learning to advance the adoption of climate-smart practices backed by sound policy. Extension will inform policymaking by educating policymakers on the status of climate science, the reality of climate change impact, and how they translate to climate-smart practices implemented by end users. Further, it will increase engagement with policymakers at all levels (local, state, federal) and promote dialogue with Extension professionals and Extension partners across communities, natural resources, agricultural lands, and beyond. Long-term outcomes envisioned through this work over the next decade and beyond include developing agency-level understanding that Extension should be a go-to resource for insights on prospective policy related to climate and working with policymakers to utilize Extension as a trusted partner in information delivery and program implementation.

Short-Term Outcomes: Over the next one to three years, Extension seeks to deliver climate outcomes including:

• Contribute to adoption of policies that advance climate resiliency

• Extension-led facilitation and relationships

• Develop pathways for collaborator-policymaker interactions

• Increased capacity of Extension to follow through on commitment to climate-smart delivery via policy and in partnership with producers

• Extension receives funding for farmers that enhances the stability of climate work

• Insights from private-sector research supported by public funding become more accessible to all

• Empower Extension professionals to transparently and effectively help landowners navigate privacy issues, available incentives, technical assistance, and sequencing of support

• Extension professionals educated/trained on proper policymaker engagement protocols/restrictions

Key Activities: Extension envisions a series of activities that could make these outcomes possible, including:

• Assess and address internal capacity and gaps:

o Assess how Extension is working to advance and inform policy

o Develop a policy task force to address gaps in Extension policy work

o Conduct research into best management practices for local/regional (state) policy

o Train Extension on how to engage with policymakers at local, state and federal level

• Formalize Extension/policymaker engagement:

o Convene Extension and multi-agency leadership through listening sessions

o Effectively promote Extension expertise with policymakers

o Create MOUs between state and federal agencies to maximize acquisition of technical and financial support

o Establish a means of communication between Extension & major policy leaders (host convening on climate issues, specifically focused on agriculture)

o Partner with agencies/organizations to plan, develop and deliver on commitments

Available Resources : Several existing resources in use by Extension today can be leveraged for delivery of the outcomes associated with this model. These include:

• Many county-level employees to serve as resources

University support

•

Research, education, evaluation

•

• County-level Extension directors currently facilitate the communication between policy and target audience

• Extension relationships with federal partners and interest in expanded partnerships

• Existing relationships with municipal decision-makers

• Experience in facilitating the participatory policy-making process

• Sea Grant has a strong history of being knowledgeable of policy landscape

Investment Opportunities:

• Funding to support the coordination of policy-related activities including assessment, training, and convening of a policy taskforce

Model: Fostering Climate Resilient Communities

Vision: Extension will accelerate education and adoption of climate-smart practices in service of climate change adaptation and mitigation for its diverse clientele. It will incorporate science-based information, best practices, and artificial intelligence techniques and approaches, as well as Indigenous knowledge into research activities, technical education and assistance, and shared expertise to help clients make informed decisions. Extension will further leverage its expertise in working with communities in place to strengthen local resilience and ensure economic prosperity through facilitated climate planning, listening sessions, demonstrations, and corresponding goal-driven action plans. Long-term outcomes envisioned through this work over the next decade and beyond include reducing carbon emissions in the natural resource and agriculture sectors and fostering increased climate resilience and reduced climate risk in communities as a result of Extension programming and resources.

Short-Term Outcomes: Over the next one to three years, Extension seeks to deliver climate outcomes including:

Capacity Building and Training

•

o Within the next 12 months, capacity funding will be secured and climate Extension personnel in at least 20 states are mobilized to do training on climate-smart practices o 40% of Extension personnel (an interdisciplinary core team in every state) will be trained to facilitate communities through the planning process o By 2025: Complete a pilot training that includes 5% of all Extension personnel to create interdisciplinary core teams in pilot states. Personnel will be trained to facilitate pilot counties/communities through the planning process o By 2027: 40% of Extension personnel (interdisciplinary core teams in every state) will be trained to facilitate the planning process with countries/communities

o Extension personnel will develop skills to facilitate community-level climate resilience planning

o Extension personnel will become aware of Extension climate resilience resources

Collaboration and Networking

•

o Build and strengthen a network to improve collaboration around needs assessments that identify challenges and programs for producers, and technical service providers (TSPs)/peers to build capacity, data, and resources that lead to improved, regionally relevant climate-informed decision making o Increase connectivity and trust between Extension and USDA service centers, including USDA Climate Hubs

o Increase connectivity among the three Land-grant university systems

o Strengthen relationships between Extension and community partners

o Improve interagency connections and coordination between USDA and NOAA

• Implementation and Adoption of Practices

o 25% of landowners, stewards, and managers will engage with Extension programs or resources and demonstrate an increased knowledge of climate change practices and establish an implementation plan for the next five years

o 20% of landowners, stewards, and managers will apply at least one climate-smart practice within the next three years

o Owners/managers indicate they will implement practices to make forests or rangelands better adapted to future climate

o Owners/managers indicate they will implement practices to make forests or rangelands sequester carbon more effectively

Awareness and Education

•

o Extension personnel who are engaged with NR landowners/stewards/managers demonstrate improved awareness of climate-smart practices that are relevant to their clients (Note: This bullet is duplicated and can be counted once for the purpose of categorization) o Extension personnel demonstrate new or improved practices, behaviors, or choices that result from working with communities on climate action planning or outreach o Statistically significant knowledge increase by Extension educators of others engaged in climate work and climate resources available within Extension

Planning and Policy Development

•

o By 2026: Complete climate resilience planning pilot process with two counties in pilot states. Municipalities will have developed a Climate Resilience Plan via an equitable, participatory process, including clear steps for implementation

o Communities participate in a Climate Action Planning process guided by Extension professionals

o Communities share best practices on goals, objectives, and policies

• Recognition and Capacity Enhancement

o Increased Extension capacity to provide climate-related technical services

o Increased equity in the distribution and implementation of climate-related solutions

o Increased capacity for Extension, the U.S., its territories, and the Indigenous nations therein to understand, prepare for, and respond to community needs for climate-related plans and policies o Increased congressional recognition of Extension's capabilities, effectiveness, and centrality in delivering programs leading to climate change solutions

• Farmer/Landowner Engagement and Education

o Farmers and landowners will have access to tools including modules, trainings, and to prepare climate adaptation and/or mitigation practices that can be incorporated into farm business plans o Farmers will be engaged in on-farm experimentation and/or learning networks to increase their understanding of the economic benefits of climate-smart agriculture

o Farmers will see the value of climate-smart agriculture and continue to innovate in this area

• Resilience/Adaptation and Economic Benefits

Each farm will write a whole-farm plan

Extension and Foundation Outreach

•

o Extension or Extension Foundation will conduct outreach to Congress, with inclusion of program participants, to showcase the need for and value of this program and to include it in future USDA and Farm Bill mission and goal language

Key Activities: Extension envisions a series of activities that could make these outcomes possible, including:

Research and Assessment

•

o Conduct a needs assessment spanning: anticipated climate impacts, climate challenges for farmers/ranchers/foresters/communities and identify how Extension can help fulfill these needs o Identify technical assistance providers and their needs and identify technical service provider needs and those of their peers

o Review available data, model policies, planning templates and maps

Engagement and Collaboration

•

o Hold listening sessions with existing and prospective collaborators, including nonprofits and agencies

Funding and Resources

•

o Secure funds for activities that will advance this model. This includes but is not limited to facilitation, grant-writing support, program maintenance, research, and volunteer network incentives as well as climate tools, apps, and demonstrations.

Human Resources and Expertise

•

o Elevate internal knowledge transfer from specialists to personnel and where gaps exist, hire diverse new employees with unique expertise, insights, and climate specialization

o Hire specialist positions for climate to be able to address common questions/needs. They could speak climate science for local specialists in beef, dairy, forests, etc. Complement with a social scientist position who knows how to engage people who might not believe in climate change or other related issues.

• Information Sharing and Capacity Building

o Develop Extension Foundation capacity to serve as a clearing house for climate change information and complete integration of the three Land-grant university systems

o Develop ECOP Climate PAT NOAA narrative with community resilience relayed as a baseline

o Conduct awareness-raising educational events to build capacity and preparedness for communities

• Technology Adoption and Climate Data Utilization

o Adopt technologies to reduce fossil fuel use in ag production, such as but not limited to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) adoption

o Translate climate data into usable information for decision-makers, such as via published needs assessments

Planning and Strategy Development

•

o Develop long-term farm planning that includes a vision for each operation through 2050

o Develop a standardized and replicable model for inclusive resilience planning that includes relevant goals, objectives, and policies

o Document community-specific data needs, such as data gaps that need to be filled

o Review existing policies and update as needed

• Collaboration and Partnership Building

o Formalize standing national and/or regional teams with interdisciplinary Extension professionals and partners o Build strategic relationships with finance professionals, USDA Service Centers, and others to help manage farms’ climate and financial risk hand in hand

o Build partnerships for engagement and implementation, for example via peer partners and networks

Education, Training, and Outreach

•

o List climate-smart practices and corresponding funding opportunities with insights on how to access funding, ensuring the science spans Indigenous knowledge and voices

o Conduct DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) training

o Explore and implement creative outreach strategies to engage people in historically underserved communities

Conduct workforce development

o Enhance and implement improved Extension faculty onboarding

o Develop and provide field days, resources, videos, and workshops to showcase practices

Reporting and Evaluation

•

o Develop a national standardized reporting system to describe who is doing which activities, what are the outputs and impacts, and what funding was received by communities for their plans o Assess helpful indicators, including but not limited to NOAA # of communities that improve hazard resilience, NOAA # of communities that adopt sustainable development practices, and NOAA # of climate-ready community ambassadors

• Professional Development and Advocacy

o Develop Extension internships and Climate Conservation Corps mentorships

o Present to ECOP, NOAA, USDA, members of Congress, and other key collaborators to reinforce the mission and impact of the program Available Resources: Several existing resources in use by Extension today can be leveraged for delivery of the outcomes associated with this model. These include:

Extension personnel and expertise

•

• Networks and organizations with which Extension partners

• Expertise and frameworks for promoting equity/access (e.g. NextGen model)

• 32,000 employees - a presence in almost every county and parish, and all territories

Participatory Planning Models

•

• Extension volunteer resources (Master Gardener, Master Naturalists, 4-H Leaders, Climate Stewards, and other existing programs)

• Extension associations (ANREP, ESP, NACAA, NACDEP, NAE4-HYDP, NAEPSDP, NEAFCS)

• Extension-associated grassroots networks such as Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), National Extension Climate Initiative (NECI), and others

Investment Opportunities: Additional collaboration and resources would enable Extension to take more meaningful climate action. Extension climate professionals identified the following list of investments as those that would drive the biggest change the fastest:

Long-term funding for long-term work

•

Model: Implementing a Climate Response

Vision: Extension will accelerate the use and maintenance of climate resilience and adaptation strategies in partnership with all clients who manage and steward natural resources and agricultural lands. To do this, it will build the climate change expertise of Extension professionals through conducting knowledge and resource gap analyses and developing resources to fill those gaps, offering train-the-trainer programming, developing a system to house and ease access of locally relevant tools and resources, and play a leading role in expanding the climate-smart workforce. Long-term outcomes envisioned through this work over the next decade and beyond include 75% of farms served will have integrated climate adaptation and/or mitigation practices into their operations. Additionally, communities that have integrated specific kinds of climate adaptation and mitigation elements into community planning will have 50% of their commercial and residential buildings be energy efficient, and all communities will have at least one extreme event emergency shelter.

Short-Term Outcomes: Over the next one to three years, Extension seeks to deliver climate outcomes including:

• Programmatic Integration and Awareness

o Increased Extension climate science literacy and capacity to implement climate-related programming with clientele

o 80% of all Extension programming areas will have at least one climate component within three years serving natural resources customers, leading to improved climate change mitigation outcomes such as healthier soils, improved water quality, reduced climate footprint, more sequestered carbon within forests, and improved climate change adaptation outcomes, such as forest and range ecosystems better adapted to climate projections

o Within one year of inventory completion, 80% of Extension personnel will indicate increased awareness of current climate training programs and curricula

o Within two years of inventory completion, 25% of all Extension programming areas will have at least one climate component serving natural resources customers, leading to healthier soils, improved water quality, reduced climate footprint, and more sequestered carbon within forests

o 40% of all Extension programs will have a climate component within one year. This will lead to great awareness of Extension clients of the importance of addressing climate change.

Connectivity, Capacity, and Advocacy

•

o Improved connectivity among Extension and USDA elements involved in climate and natural resources programming (i.e., 4-H, Experiment Stations, Hubs, NRCS, USDA-FS)

o Increased capacity among participants to advocate for natural resources climate solutions and to advocate for Extension as a trusted intermediary in providing training

o At least two communities per each Extension region will adopt the Cooperative Extension System Climate Education Action Plan within 2-3 years from 2024, with ongoing collaboration and dialogue with USDA Climate Hubs

• Extension Capacity-Building and Community Impact

o Increased knowledge, skills, awareness, and attitudes of Extension personnel engaged in training around climate resilience with natural resources clients

o Increased community awareness of climate-related impacts

o Increased number of Extension personnel become aware of Extension climate resilience resources

o Knowledge of others engaged in this work and resources available will increase

Key Activities: Extension envisions a series of activities that could make these outcomes possible, including:

• Planning and Conferencing (Year 1 Activities)

o Connect with the National Extension Climate Initiative, climate and energy summit, and other events and organizations to identify synergies and opportunities to collaborate

o Secure planning grant and hold Climate Extension Conference enabling personnel to showcase their work

• Community Engagement and Training (Year 2 Activities)

o Identify pilot communities and hold convening

o Adapt community-specific engagement guides

o Build and conduct programming to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on the community (e.g. showing farmers how and why cover crops will be good for their business and operations by improving soil quality, reducing fertilizer while improving water quality)

Conduct asset mapping

Train Extension to do the planning

Available Resources: Several existing resources in use by Extension today can be leveraged for delivery of the outcomes associated with this model. These include:

Collaboration and Partnerships

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o Meet with partners including Ag Experiment Stations, USDA Climate Hubs, NRCS, ESA, Forest Service o Meet with collaborators external (e.g. human science/home economics specialists) and internal (including 4-H, MGs)

o Coordinate with Climate Hubs, Regional Rural Development Centers, tribes, Land-grant universities, tribal colleges, community members

o Engage with other disciplines ranging from such as social science and to climate science.

▪ Enhance collaboration among Extension personnel and research faculty, and vice versa

▪ Strengthen relationship with NRCS, FSA, and others

▪ Collaborate with Climate Adaptation and Mitigation (CAMF) Fellows and others

▪ Identify other collaborators that benefit from ecosystem services and could become partners, including water management districts and utilities

Education and Training

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o Actively promote all Extension climate-related events, research (social, educational, and physical), and programming

o Increase climate science literacy among Extension personnel

o Collate/collect a one-stop-shop for all Extension climate-related projects and programming

o Explore USDA-sponsored convening with other relevant collaborators

▪ Develop Extension Foundation marketing campaign (outreach examples to get people to attend convenings and events or contribute to inventory)

▪ Include Extension Climate and Extreme Weather Programming paper

▪

Convene planning subgroups

o Add pilot communities and farmers from which to replicate planning process

Leadership and Strategy

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o Work with national, local, Tribal and territory Extension leaders

▪

Create buy-in

▪

Get attention of more leadership

▪ Connect to initiative leaders (like EXCITE)

Secure funding for personnel

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o Hire additional Extension personnel (e.g. spec. agents) to develop climate-smart agriculture programs and to demonstrate climate-smart agriculture in action

o Hire 1 FTE to inventory existing climate training programs and curricula, and then maintain this library.

o Hiring and budgeting to support personnel training

Secure funding for training

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o Conduct Extension/agency/education/communication-wide asset-mapping and gap analysis

o Collaborate with external expert organization for building train-the-trainer events and to train Extension personnel to deliver future programming

Hold train-the-trainer events

o Convene and connect workforce development opportunities to this and other models from Extension Climate PAT

Model: Advancing 21 st Century Community Well-Being for All

Vision: Extension will equitably improve the well-being of residents facing the effects of climate change in the communities it serves. Well-being measures include, but are not limited to, access to clean air and water; quality food and reduced food waste; clean, affordable and efficient energy; property weatherization; and an affordable grid and reliable public transportation. New partnerships will work at the nexus of communities and community members, including businesses, homeowners, municipalities, renters, and other relevant groups. A science-based approach will apply to all of the Extension Climate Action Plan workstreams and supporting models. Extension will advance well-being across geographies and across air, land, and water while supporting communities in the decarbonization transformation. Activities will be conducted through the lens of social determinants of health and other applicable frameworks, such as CDC’s One Health and the Community Capitals Framework. Extension seeks equitable environmental and well-being benefits across all activities, resulting in transformed communities of shared well-being. Much of the infrastructure needed to do this work is in place within Extension, and strategic partnership and investment can further build Extension capacity for impact. Long-term outcomes envisioned through this work over the next decade and beyond include increased weatherization of businesses and homes in communities served by 25% by 2040 and Extension facilitation of education and outreach on practices that can assist in achieving environmental outcomes such as 30% reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and 30% improvement in air quality tied to emissions reductions.

Short-Term Outcomes: Over the next one to three years, Extension seeks to deliver climate outcomes including:

Enhance Extension Capacity

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o Increased Extension capacity to provide transformative programming based on social determinants of health frameworks

o Increased Extension capacity to provide programming infrastructure as well as air, energy, land, water, and well-being programming o Increased capacity among participants to advocate for air, infrastructure, energy, land, water, and well-being solutions and to advocate for Extension as a trusted intermediary in providing solutions

• Develop Awareness and Training Programs

o An increased number of Extension personnel will be trained on weatherization to improve their own knowledge

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