Notice2023-09051
Climate Adaptation Export Competitiveness Request for Information
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 2, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade AdministrationTrade and Development Agency
Abstract
This notice seeks public comments on climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services to enhance the U.S. government's understanding of opportunities and challenges for U.S. exporters in these sectors. The comments will be used by the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to align U.S. government trade promotion and trade policy activities to those sectors and markets that present the greatest opportunities for exporters of climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services, as well as to address relevant trade barriers and promote U.S. industry competitiveness.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 84 (Tuesday, May 2, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27552-27555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09051]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
[Docket Number: 230417-0103]
Climate Adaptation Export Competitiveness Request for Information
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce, and
U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
ACTION: Request for public comments; Climate Adaptation Export
Competitiveness Request for Information.
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SUMMARY: This notice seeks public comments on climate adaptation and
resilience-related technologies and services to enhance the U.S.
government's understanding of opportunities and challenges for U.S.
exporters in these sectors. The comments will be used by the U.S.
Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) and
the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to align U.S. government
trade promotion and trade policy activities to those sectors and
markets that present the greatest opportunities for exporters of
climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services, as
well as to address relevant trade barriers and promote U.S. industry
competitiveness.
DATES: Comments are requested no later than June 30, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit electronic comments, identified by Docket
Number: 230417-0103 via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and enter Docket Number: 230417-0103 in the Search
box. Click on the ``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and
enter or attach your comments.
If you are unable to comment via <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, you may contact
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2546494c484451406551574441400b424a53"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="57343b3e3a36233217232536333279303821">[email protected]</span></a> for instructions on submitting your comment.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by ITA or USTDA. Comments received before the
deadline are a part of the public record and will generally be posted
for public viewing on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> without change.
Commenters should include the name of the person or organization
filing the comment. All personal identifying information (for example,
name, address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly
accessible. ITA and USTDA will not accept anonymous comments.
For those seeking to submit confidential business information (CBI)
for government use only, please clearly mark such submissions as CBI
and submit an accompanying redacted version to be made public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
ITA, Anna Cron, International Trade Administration; 1401
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 843-2376;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7417181d191500113400061510115a131b02"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a696663676b7e6f4a7e786b6e6f246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>. Please direct media inquiries to ITA's Office
of Public Affairs (202) 482-3809 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c8b8bdaaa4a1aba9aeaea9a1babb88bcbaa9acade6afa7be"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="95e5e0f7f9fcf6f4f3f3f4fce7e6d5e1e7f4f1f0bbf2fae3">[email protected]</span></a>.
USTDA, Eric Haxthausen, U.S. Trade and Development Agency; 1101
Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100, Arlington, VA 22209; telephone: (703) 875-
4357; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#41222d282c20352420252031352035282e2f0134323525206f262e37"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8cbc4c1c5c9dccdc9ccc9d8dcc9dcc1c7c6e8dddbdcccc986cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>. Please direct media inquiries
to Paul Marin in USTDA's Office of Public Affairs at (703) 875-4357.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 27, 2021, President Biden issued
Executive Order 14008, ``Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and
Abroad'' (86 FR 7619). E.O. 14008 puts climate considerations at the
forefront of U.S. foreign policy and national security. The E.O. also
directs agencies that engage in extensive international work to develop
strategies and implementation plans for integrating climate
considerations into their overseas programming. During the 26th
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC COP26) in November 2021, President Biden
announced the launch of the President's Emergency Plan for Adaptation
and Resilience (PREPARE), a whole-of-government initiative that serves
as the cornerstone of the U.S. government response to addressing the
increasing
[[Page 27553]]
impacts of the global climate crisis to enhance global stability and
security.
The increased focus on climate adaptation and resilience is timely
as recent analyses have identified the need for trillions of dollars in
annual infrastructure investments over the coming years and decades.
This infrastructure will need to accommodate new climate conditions,
and specific investments will be needed to support communities and
businesses in adapting to new climate-related risks. Mindful of these
needs and the opportunity to spur U.S. innovation and create well-
paying jobs in addressing them, ITA and USTDA, together with their
partner agencies across the U.S. government, seek to expand climate
adaptation and resilience-related programming to support sustainable
infrastructure needs while promoting the export of U.S. technologies
and services.
In support of PREPARE and their trade-focused missions, ITA and
USTDA are requesting public comments on the export competitiveness of
climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services,
and potential opportunities and challenges in the export of climate
adaptation and resilience-related solutions. Both agencies are
interested to identify possible actions the Federal government could
take to foster U.S. export competitiveness in this area.
ITA
ITA strengthens the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promotes
trade and investment, and ensures fair trade through the rigorous
enforcement of our trade laws and agreements. ITA works to improve the
global business environment and helps U.S. organizations of all sizes
to compete at home and abroad. To advance the Administration's climate
and trade agenda, ITA focuses on four strategic objectives: (1)
Promoting U.S. exports and inward investment; (2) Removing and
preventing trade barriers; (3) Enforcing trade laws and agreements; and
(4) Supporting U.S. companies competing for foreign projects. Through
its more than 100 U.S. field offices nationwide and 80 offices across
the globe, ITA offers companies a full range of services to plan,
assess, promote, and expand business around the world.
ITA is working to identify key issues influencing the deployment of
U.S. climate solutions and to promote U.S. exports to address climate
change. The stakeholder input sought through this notice will inform
ITA's export promotion, commercial diplomacy, and trade compliance
efforts, as well as assist in the development of trade promotion
programs aimed to support U.S. exporters of climate adaptation and
resilience-related technologies and services.
USTDA
USTDA helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S.
goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging
economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by
funding project preparation and partnership building activities that
develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in
partner countries. USTDA achieves its mission by funding feasibility
studies, technical assistance and pilot projects that integrate U.S.
private sector innovation into infrastructure projects at the critical
early stages when design choices and technology options are determined.
The Agency also connects overseas project sponsors with U.S. partners
through its reverse trade missions, industry conferences and expert
workshops. USTDA's dual mission of facilitating overseas economic
development and U.S. exports is unique among Federal agencies. In
carrying out its mission, the Agency places particular emphasis on
vital economic sectors including clean energy, transportation, digital,
and healthcare infrastructure.
USTDA is seeking to integrate climate adaptation and resilience
considerations into its programming across these priority sectors and
to identify specific programming opportunities to support the export of
U.S. technologies and services that strengthen developing and middle-
income countries' ability to prepare for and respond to external shocks
and stresses associated with climate change. The stakeholder input
sought through this notice will inform USTDA's efforts to develop
project preparation activities including feasibility studies, technical
assistance, and pilot projects, as well as partnership-building
activities including reverse trade missions, industry events, and
expert workshops, to link U.S. companies to climate adaptation and
resilience-related export opportunities while fostering climate
adaptation and sustainable infrastructure development in developing and
middle-income countries.
Scope
``Climate adaptation'' is a broad term that can encompass a range
of technologies, services and activities used to address a variety of
issues relating to the effects and impacts of climate change. The
UNFCCC defines climate adaptation as ``human-driven adjustments in
ecological, social, or economic systems or policy processes, in
response to actual or expected climate stimuli and their effects or
impacts.'' Put simply, climate adaptation refers to strengthening the
capacity of individuals, communities, assets and/or systems to
withstand current or expected climate shocks or stressors.
``Climate resilience'' can be defined as the ability to prepare for
and recover from the impacts of climate change. For the purpose of this
request for public comment, ITA and USTDA are focused on both
established and emerging technologies, and goods and services, that can
contribute to the adaptive capacity and resilience of foreign partners
to manage shocks and stresses associated with climate change.
``Climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and
services'' span a range of industries and sectors including the
following, among others:
<bullet> Emergency response and preparedness, including early
warning systems;
<bullet> Professional engineering and design services to improve
infrastructure resilience;
<bullet> Hydro-meteorological systems and forecasting, mapping,
data analysis, and other climate information services;
<bullet> Energy resilience (which may be provided or enhanced by
minigrids, microgrids, electricity grid weatherization and monitoring,
energy efficiency and demand-side management, energy storage, or fuel
cells, among other technologies and services);
<bullet> Environmental technologies, such as water supply,
wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and environmental
remediation;
<bullet> Information and communications technology (ICT) for
resilient and redundant communication systems, digital and ICT
application solutions that support resilient climate-smart communities
(for example, to design or implement urban adaptation initiatives, or
improve data storage resilience), including cloud computing to make
data available for use and real-time engagement by multiple
simultaneous users;
<bullet> Water use efficiency, water storage and production
solutions, and information technology applications for water and
wastewater operators;
<bullet> Resilient transportation systems that are adapted to
respond to direct and indirect consequences of climate change, such as
extreme weather and associated population movements;
<bullet> Coastal and flood protection;
[[Page 27554]]
<bullet> Technologies and services that facilitate the adaptation
of marine ecosystems to future climate conditions, including future
ocean temperature and chemistry regimes, or that enable the sustainable
use of ocean resources and the ocean economy under future climate
conditions;
<bullet> Climate-smart food systems, including agriculture,
aquaculture, and fisheries;
<bullet> Infrastructure and engineering services and sustainable
building materials, including building assessment and weatherization,
and nature-based or other innovative or traditional infrastructure
solutions, designed to provide protection against anticipated climate
impacts;
<bullet> Capital markets solutions including green bonds and
technology for collecting and aggregating data (including ESG data)
related to or of value for adaptation and climate resilience;
<bullet> Innovative insurance products that address climate
adaptation and resilience concerns; and
<bullet> Sustainable lending and financing products that support
financing climate adaptation and improved climate resilience.
For the purpose of this request for public comment,
``competitiveness'' entails the capacity to produce and deploy
affordable, reliable, and accessible technologies and compete in global
markets. USTDA and several of both agencies' interagency partners are
particularly interested in climate adaptation and resilience-related
technologies and services that could represent significant
opportunities for U.S. companies exporting to emerging markets (i.e.,
developing and middle-income countries).
This request for public comments supports the work of the Trade
Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) to coordinate U.S. government
export promotion activities, including activities in support of U.S.
exports of climate and clean technologies and services. The TPCC is an
interagency committee chaired by the Secretary of Commerce. It was
established under the Export Enhancement Act of 1992 to provide a
unifying framework to coordinate the export promotion and export
financing activities of the U.S. government, and to develop a
government-wide strategic plan for carrying out such programs.
Request for Written Comments
Instructions: This notice is intended to improve ITA's and USTDA's
understanding of U.S. private sector interests, capabilities, and
concerns with respect to exports of climate adaptation and resilience-
related technologies and services. This notice is a general
solicitation for public comments and further sets forth specific topics
for discussion and comment for both agencies to improve their
understanding of the current technological landscapes. ITA and USTDA
seek broad input from all interested stakeholders, including U.S.
industry, researchers, academia, and civil society. Commenters are
encouraged to address any or all of the following questions and may
respond in terms of climate adaptation and resilience broadly, or in
terms of specific sub-sectors, technologies, and services. To the
extent commenters choose to respond to the specific questions asked,
responses may be formatted as the commenter prefers.
Comments will be reviewed by ITA and USTDA staff and contractors
and may be used to inform agency priorities and programming. ITA and
USTDA intend to share the information received through this request
with partner Federal agencies, consistent with the Biden-Harris
Administration's whole-of-government approach to implement PREPARE and
Administration efforts to support U.S. exports. Accordingly, responses
will be of potential interest to a broader set of U.S. government
agencies working on climate adaptation, climate resilience, and export
promotion.
Questions
Opportunities
1. What climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and
services offer the most significant immediate opportunities for U.S.
exports to foreign countries or regions, including developing and
middle-income countries?
2. What climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies and
services do not currently offer significant immediate opportunities for
U.S. exports to foreign countries or regions, including developing and
middle-income countries, but may offer such opportunities within the
next five to ten years?
3. Do the needs of climate adaptation and resilience-related
services exporters (including software and digital service providers)
differ from exporters of manufactured products? If so, how?
Challenges
4. What are the principal factors (i.e., economic, technical,
regulatory, etc.), especially in developing and middle-income export
markets, that could pose significant barriers to U.S. industry's
competitiveness with respect to U.S. exports of climate adaptation and
resilience-related technology and services? What changes are necessary
for U.S. private sector to enter these markets? What factors inhibit
expansion and growth in those markets? Please consider challenges
pertaining to existing and emerging technologies and services, and to
established and developing markets.
5. What are the principal factors (i.e., economic, technical,
regulatory, etc.) that inhibit U.S. industry competitiveness in climate
adaptation and resilience-related sectors or technologies in which the
U.S. does not currently have a competitive domestic industry?
6. Which countries' companies are the main competitors for
adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services? What is
the nature of the government assistance they may receive? How might the
U.S. government level the playing field for U.S. companies facing
foreign competition?
U.S. Government Solutions
7. What are the most useful and effective existing tools or
resources offered by the U.S. government to reduce or remove
challenges, risks, and barriers to help position U.S. climate
adaptation and resilience-related technologies for competitiveness in
the global market?
8. How can existing tools or resources offered by the U.S.
government be improved or coordinated to increase their effectiveness
or make them more accessible to U.S. companies' climate adaptation and
resilience-related technologies or services?
9. What are potentially useful new actions the U.S. government
could take, or information or assistance the U.S. government could
provide domestically, or through engagement with foreign countries and
multilateral international organizations, to reduce or remove
challenges, risks, and barriers or otherwise help position U.S. climate
adaptation and resilience-related technologies and services for export
to foreign countries or regions, including developing and middle-income
countries?
10. Which foreign countries or regions, including developing and
middle-income countries, present the greatest market opportunities for
U.S. exports of climate adaptation and resilience-related technologies
and services or should be prioritized for engagement by the U.S.
government? (Note that USTDA's focus is on
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infrastructure development in developing and middle-income countries;
other Federal departments and agencies including ITA may be able to
engage in a wider array of countries, depending on their respective
mandates and authorities.)
Scope
11. In addition to the illustrative list of climate adaptation and
resilience-related technologies and services identified above, what
other adaptation or resilience-related technologies or services with
opportunities for U.S. exports of goods and services to foreign
countries or regions, including low and middle-income countries exist,
if any? What other technologies or services U.S. industry offers that
increase resilience to climate-related shocks and stresses or support
adaptation to future climate conditions are not typically considered
part of ``climate adaptation'' but should be?
Other
12. What additional issues or challenges related to U.S. exports
and competitiveness of climate adaptation and resilience-related
technologies and services not addressed by these questions do you
believe would be helpful for USTDA and other Federal agencies to
understand? What would be the most critical actions the government
could take to address these issues?
Dated: April 24, 2023.
Man K. Cho,
Deputy Director, Office of Energy & Environmental Industries,
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Eric M. Haxthausen,
Senior Advisor for Climate, Partnerships, and Innovation, U.S. Trade
and Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-09051 Filed 5-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P
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