Ensure that high-level U.S. Government officials participate in international forums / conferences (e.g. Kyoto Climate Summit, World Water Forum, etc.)

Accelerate updating of FEMA floodplain maps

Develop a revenue stream from ecosystem services (i.e. recreational fees, water quality improvements under nutrient trading, etc) to fund improvements in greenhouse gas emissions performance in forestry and agriculture.  Steps to implementation:  1. Determine commodifiable ecosystem services and a system under which they can be bought and sold (some of these already exist).2. Develop program for administration of this program to manage income and allocation of funds.

Direct all Federal agencies engaged in land management and biodiversity activities to protect, maintain, restore and value biodiversity and wildlife habitat while incorporating climate change mitigation and adaptation activities into their management and planning actions.

Enact the most comprehensive environmental bill in history, the Natural Heritage and Environmental Security Act (NHESA).  Its purpose would be:                            To ensure healthy ecosystems that serve the needs of the American public for current and future generations, and foster a robust economic future by minimizing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and natural resources through prevention, restoration, adaptation and mitigation strategies.                          Provisions should include:   Title I:  Research and Assessment  A.  Inventory (possible stand-alone) B.  Baseline C.  Impacts of climate change on humans and the “web of life.” D. Monitoring (measuring change) E.  Institute a National Science Foundation (NSF) program.   Title II. Planning and Coordination  A.  Develop bio-regional plans for protecting and restoring key habitats identified in the inventory B.  Establish regional mechanism for coordination modeled on former commission structure C.  Inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional collaboration   Title III: Reporting  A.  Develop indicators B.  Report on progress every 2 years C.  Include auditing role on meeting standards   Title IV: Economic Framework  A.     Ecosystem reserve program B.     Create economic incentives and financial instruments for preservation and restoration of key habitat on private lands C.     Mitigation/sequestration banking D.     National protocol (standards and policy) for Transferable Development Rights (TDRs)   Title V: Educational Communications and Eco-Literacy Campaign to boost public awareness, concern and actions to protect and restore biodiversity and natural resources.  A.   Model eco-literacy campaign undertaken in Costa Rica through school children B.   Systems education C.   No Child Left Inside D.   What individuals can do   Title VI: Enforcement Title VII: Authorization Title VIII: Savings Clause (don’t supersede other Acts)

Create tools or a system of tools for assessing and prioritizing programs, projects and activities that are proposed for addressing climate change, whether for mitigation, adaptation or alleviation purposes. These tools must:      1. Consider the full life-cycle of processes, materials and energy    2. Include as part of their framework a consideration of impacts on ecosystem services.     3. For programs, projects and activities being evaluated, the tools should take into account:

1. Feasibility - Scientific, Technological and Institutional/Infrastructural
2. Timing/Magnitude - how quickly will an option have an effect and how large an effect will it have
3. Time frame - need to consider a long-term horizon - 50-100 years  when comparing short-term vs. long-term trade offs - need to seriously consider the long-term consequences of options
4. Compatibility with other goals - economic, foreign policy, national security
5. Flexibility, diversity, resilience
6. Equity (rich-poor, intergenerational)
7. Simplicity
8. Specific to ecosystems, the tools should consider:

                                                               i.      location and extent of modification of ecosystems                                                              ii.      effect of these modifications on production of ecosystem “goods & services”                                                             iii.      effect of these modifications on ecosystem processes (nutrient cycling, soil formation, etc.)                                                            iv.      other valued characteristics of environment

4. Be useful for assessing efficiency measures, not just specific/new technologies.
5. Take into account and use/modify as practical, existing tools such as: Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA), Environmental impact assessments (NEPA), and Energy Return On Investment (EROI).

The President should issue an executive order directing federal agencies under the Government Performance and Results Act to promote voluntary, multi-stakeholder, collaborative approaches toward managing and restoring natural resources.

Governors can issue similar directives to encourage state agencies to participate in and promote voluntary, multi-stakeholder, collaborative approaches.

Public and private leaders (within the constraints of antitrust concerns), community institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens can take collective responsibility for practicing environmental stewardship through voluntary, multi-stakeholder, collaborative approaches.

The federal government should play a more active role in building consensus on difficult issues and identifying actions that would allow stakeholders to work together toward common goals. Both Congress and the executive branch should evaluate the extent to which the Federal Advisory Committee Act poses a barrier to successful multi-stakeholder processes, and they should amend regulations to help accomplish this.