Good morning. I want to first extend my gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis and the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences for not only convening this gathering, but for inviting me to speak.
I’m proud to be here today as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, but also as a concerned Catholic, mother, and grandmother. As the head of the nation’s response, recovery, and resilience agency, I see the effects of the climate crisis each and every day.
Gone are the days of disaster seasons – we, like all of you, are witnessing and working through a year-round disaster landscape that doesn’t seem to stop. Which is why this convening is so important. It’s a reminder that we are not alone in our battles. That we are united by a common calling, a common faith, and a common understanding that the time to fight for the future of our world is now.
I am inspired by the words of Mayor Hidalgo, Governor Hochul, and Governor Newsom. Thank you for your wisdom and for sharing your perspectives from Paris, New York State, and California. It’s astounding to me that we can live oceans apart from one-another yet face similar challenges.
I want to spend the next few minutes dissecting the words of our speakers – and placing their arguments into the context of the work we do at FEMA. We have a saying at FEMA, that all disasters start and end at the local level. Local governments, as Mayor Hidalgo so eloquently argued, are on the front lines of responding to and recovering from climate-driven disasters. Which means they are equally well-positioned to lead the charge in combatting climate change. For cities across America, and around the world, that means investing in resilience. It means building capacity. It means understanding risk at the local level, taking steps to mitigate that risk, and – in turn – creating safer communities.
Cities like Paris, Boston, and London have taken this charge in stride – investing in climate mitigation and strategizing to prepare their communities before a disaster strikes. But not all cities have the resources, the tools, and the political leeway to make these investments. To fund these projects. To push back on powerful lobbies. That’s why capacity building at the local level is so critical. We need the right people sitting at the tables where decisions are being made. We need emergency managers and climate change experts to ensure local governments are positioning their communities to not just survive, but thrive in our changing world. We also need leaders that reflect the communities they serve. Because that’s how we build trust. That’s how we learn about community-specific barriers, so we can then break them down and uplift our neighbors as we chart a path forward.
At FEMA, we are committed to rooting our work in equity – in justice. To designing programs with diverse communities in mind. To leveraging partnerships to meet people where they are. We are working to understand the distinct barriers that different communities face when it comes to accessing our programs, and rewriting our policies to lessen the burden for those who need assistance. We are proposing legislation to get more assistance to underserved and historically disenfranchised communities faster than ever. We also have an amazing Director of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Marcus Coleman, who helps reach communities who bear the brunt of climate disasters. Marcus is here with me this week, if you haven’t met him!
We are trying – really trying – to do our part to create a more just world. Where the communities we serve have equitable access to the resources they need, and an equal seat at our table.
Now I know FEMA isn’t a local government entity – but I think it’s important to demonstrate our commitment to this work at the federal level. Because if we are going to ask our counterparts to make big bold changes – then we should be walking that path with them, helping to create these tools, and making sure they are usable at the local level.
Now, when I think about big, bold change, Governor Newsom comes to mind. And I want to thank him for his remarks, but also for the partnership we’ve had since I’ve been in my role at FEMA. I’ve stood by the Governor’s side as California experienced devastating wildfires and historic atmospheric rivers.
California is a unique state – one that provides a snapshot of both extreme ends of the climate crisis. From flooding to fires. From blizzards to extreme heat. It is also a state that is leading the effort to combat climate change – pushing back against industries that are driving up the earth’s temperatures.
I think we can all learn from the work California is doing to invest in climate mitigation and resilience – and we at FEMA are proud to partner with them as they make these monumental changes. Like in Mendocino, a county in Northern California, that suffered catastrophic losses during the 2020 wildfire season. The fires left burnt homes and ruined businesses in their wake – an experience far too many communities from around the world can resonate with, unfortunately. So, FEMA is working with them to help build more resilient infrastructure that will withstand future fire events. Or in San Francisco where we’re working together to enhance coastal defenses in one of America’s most endangered historic districts. Together, we’re raising seawalls and reducing flood-risk for future generations.
I give you these examples because, as His Holiness laid out in Laudato Si’, combatting climate change requires balancing the environmental and the social. Yes, we need to get our climate back on track. But we also need to set our communities up for success. We need to be doing what we can to keep them safe from the threats of tomorrow, today. These are two sides of the same coin. Because at the end of the day, this work – all of our work – must be about people, about equity, about justice.
We must commit ourselves to reaching everyone in our communities – especially those who are underserved, harder to reach, and most vulnerable. We must take steps to protect strangers as if they were our neighbors, friends, and loved ones. We must consider their children and grandchildren as if they were our own, and ensure they too are protected from the effects of climate change.
The time to leverage the partnerships in this room is now, because the climate crisis is not just on our doorstep, but here – in our homes. And while there are those who deny this crisis, I look around today and I’m inspired by the speakers who are here to prove them wrong.
We are here to share stories. To paint the picture. To create new partnerships. To effect real, palpable change. Because this is not a problem that any one of us can solve on our own. It will require a coalition, a true partnership, like what we have in this room.
I want to thank Mayor Hidalgo, Governor Hochul, and Governor Newsom for crystalizing the importance of local and state-level involvement in this work.
And I want to thank The Holy See, again, for hosting this event. For actively bringing together faith-based, academic, and governmental partners from around the world so we can march forward, together, toward a cleaner, brighter future. I look forward to the rest of this week’s events, and to joining hand-in-hand in the fight for a better tomorrow.