The 2012-2021 Strategic Plan is built around four strategic goals: Advance Science, Inform Decisions, Conduct Sustained Assessments, and Communicate and Educate. In addition to these four goals, the Plan emphasizes the importance of national and international partnerships that leverage Federal investments and provide for the widest use of Program results. The Plan builds on the Program’s strengths in integrated observations, modeling, and information services for science that serves societal needs.

This Strategic Plan recognizes that effective response to global change requires a strong scientific foundation. The following four strategic goals frame the Program’s Strategic Plan: 

Goal 1. Advance Science: Advance scientific knowledge of the integrated natural and human components of the Earth system.

Goal 2. Inform Decisions: Provide the scientific basis to inform and enable timely decisions on adaptation and mitigation.

Goal 3. Conduct Sustained Assessments: Build sustained assessment capacity that improves the Nation’s ability to understand, anticipate, and respond to global change impacts and vulnerabilities.

Goal 4. Communicate and Educate: Advance communications and education to broaden public understanding of global change and develop the scientific workforce of the future.