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Policy Drivers

A photo collage highlighting some of the initiatives from NOAA's Inflation Reduction Act investments. (Image credit: NOAA)

Through its diverse climate and health portfolio, NOAA One Health has manifold policy drivers that recognize the interconnectedness of our world and develop proactive solutions to prevent future health crises within the human-animal-environmental interface.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a transformational opportunity to make an impact against the climate crisis across the country through multiple funding opportunities. Providing nearly $3 billion for NOAA to take action over five years in the areas of habitat restoration, coastal resilience, and weather forecasting infrastructure, the agency will address climate risks and key impact areas, including floods, fire, drought, and extreme heat to build marine and coastal regions resilience.

Thematic Area(s): Air Quality and Atmospheric Sciences; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; Regional; Tribal; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a historic, federal government-wide investment enhancing NOAA efforts to build a Climate-Ready Nation by helping prepare, adapt, and build resilience to weather and climate events. Addressing the growing demand for climate information and facilitating the development of new products and services will prepare scalable and responsive investments to meet the needs of a nation that is ready and resilient to climate change.

Thematic Area(s): Air Quality and Atmospheric Sciences; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; Regional; Tribal; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Global Change Research Act of 1990 is a United States law requiring research into global warming to evaluate the scientific priorities and climate change impacts via socioeconomic, health, environmental, and safety measures. This act led to the establishment of the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to integrate federal research efforts across multiple agencies and departments and tackle the global impacts of climate change via knowledge transfer, data exchange, and sustainable policy development. 

Thematic Area(s): Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; International; Regional

One Ocean, One Health recognizes the benefits of protecting the ocean for human health and the global environment via the interconnectivity between ocean, human, and environmental health. In 2010, the NOAA Science Advisory Board’s Oceans and Health Working Group (OHWG) produced a report emphasizing ocean health threats, underrepresented opportunities, and the agency’s contributions to the health community. Highlighting the urgent need for a more coordinated and collaborative approach to enhance ongoing capacity and future work in the health sector across the line offices, the One Health Strategy addresses this crucial gap.

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973 to conserve endangered and threatened species and their critical ecosystems. Recognizing that the natural heritage of the United States was of “esthetic, ecological, educational, recreational, and scientific value to our nation and its people,” NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) share responsibility for implementing the ESA. While NOAA Fisheries is responsible for most marine and anadromous species and USFWS is responsible for terrestrial, freshwater species, and several marine mammal species like walrus, sea otters, manatees, and polar bears, the two agencies share jurisdiction over several other species, such as sea turtles, Gulf sturgeon, and Atlantic salmon. 

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) was passed in 1972 to combat increasing threats to marine mammal populations and their habitats due to human activities and anthropogenic disturbance. By recognizing the importance of marine mammals to maintain healthy and resilient marine ocean ecosystems, MMPA was the first-ever act of the United States Congress to implement an ecosystem-system approach towards species protection and biodiversity conservation.

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement signed by 184 parties in 1973 designed to ensure that international trade in animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild. Since many internationally traded marine species are highly migratory and often cross national boundaries, nations must collaborate to protect these invaluable flora and fauna. Through providing a legal framework to regulate the international trade of species, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) designates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  (USFWS) to carry out CITES provisions, and NOAA supports the USFWS by providing guidance and scientific expertise on marine issues. The agency also integrates expertise from our regional offices and science centers to provide guidance in the implementation of CITES for species under our jurisdiction. 

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) was passed in 1976 and is the primary law that governs marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters. The MSA fosters the long-term biological and economic sustainability of marine fisheries for transparent and public processes of science, management, innovation, and collaboration with the fishing industry.

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Tribal; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

NOAA Science & Technology (S&T) Focus Areas under the NOAA Science Council focus on guiding transformative advancements in the quality and timeliness of NOAA’s products and services across our mission areas. The key strategies in the fields of (1) Uncrewed Systems (UxS), (2) Artificial Intelligence (AI), (3) Cloud Computing, the use of advanced methods to analyze material such as DNA, RNA, or proteins, called (4) ‘Omics, (5) Data, and (6) Citizen Science, help the agency more efficiently and effectively adopt the breakthrough S&T applications to help deliver the world’s best weather forecasts and to grow the American Blue Economy.

Thematic Area(s): Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

The Vector-Borne Disease (VBD) National Strategy is the largest formal federal coordination focused on VBD prevention and control. Co-led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this strategy includes critical federal government activities to prevent and control VBDs through interagency collaboration with six federal departments and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Through predictive models, decision support tools, and identifying environmental factors associated with the vectors, animal reservoirs, and human exposures, NOAA is an accountable entity and essential stakeholder for various working goals in CDC’s VBD Strategy.

Thematic Area(s): Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; International; Regional; Vector-Borne Diseases

The “Oceans and Human Health” legislation (Title 33 of the United States Code, Chapter 44) addresses the relationship between marine ecosystems and human health by leveraging this inextricable connection to promote interdisciplinary research, monitoring, and management efforts related to the beneficial role of oceans for human health. These efforts promoted public health, coastal habitats, and marine ecosystem protection efforts to benefit humans, animals, and the environment. 

Thematic Area(s): Aquaculture and Fisheries; Benefits From the Sea; Extreme Conditions and Climate Change; Marine Animal Health; International; Regional; Water Quality and Related Illnesses

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