There is a quote by Wendell Berry, novelist and environmentalist, that states: “The Earth is what we all have in common.” Earth Day (April 22) is an annual opportunity to reflect on the fact that the future health of our planet is dependent on all of us embracing our individual responsibility to contribute toward global collective stewardship of the place we call home. The Colorado Resiliency Office is a hub for this collective action, working together to strengthen the resilience of our communities, systems, and environment.
The Colorado Resiliency Framework serves as the guiding document for our state in identifying and implementing strategies to improve resilience. This document points out that climate change is our single greatest threat for our future, with far-reaching impacts to our public health, economy, and ecosystems.
While the potential impacts of climate change can cause distress, we can look to the future with hope knowing that our state is taking action. For example, the Colorado Resiliency Framework has identified Climate and Natural Hazards as an inter-agency priority area for action, with substantial progress made toward implementation, as seen in the 2022 Annual Progress Report. Additionally, the upcoming Department of Local Affairs Climate Resilience Challenge (formerly the Renewable and Clean Energy Initiative) is an example of where the Colorado Resiliency Office will provide support in ensuring that climate adaptation is approached from the holistic perspective that is required to strengthen resilience, and in helping connect local governments to resources that can support their local climate action activities.
The Colorado Resiliency Office also provides support and technical assistance to statewide planning efforts that are seeking to address climate impacts, including the Colorado Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap, Colorado Water Plan, and Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Building climate resilience takes all of us, and the Colorado Resiliency Office is honored to be doing this work alongside you and our partners!