Interagency efforts ensure that social science expertise helps shape the Fifth National Climate Assessment. 

USGCRP’s Social Sciences Coordinating Committee (SSCC) provides regular input into USGCRP’s sustained assessment process, including ongoing engagement with the academic social sciences community and recommendations for the further integration of social science topics into National Climate Assessments.

Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Webinar for Social Scientists. In October 2020, the SSCC hosted a public webinar for social scientists that outlined the different mechanisms for engaging in the development of NCA5. The webinar drew over 140 attendees, and together with other SSCC-led outreach, resulted in over 200 NCA5 author nominations with social science expertise, far exceeding the number of social scientist nominations in past assessments.

Memo to the NCA5 Federal Steering Committee (FSC). Building off the mandate of the Global Change Research Act and substantial public and scientific input, the SSCC submitted a memo to the NCA5 FSC that made recommendations on how to further integrate the social sciences into NCA5. One major recommendation was a separate chapter on human social systems, which is being developed for NCA5.