
This FY 2016 edition of Our Changing Planet, USGCRP's annual report, summarizes the Program's significant advancements toward achieving its scientific goals, delivering on its Congressional mandate, supporting the President’s Climate Action Plan, and building a knowledge base that effectively informs human responses to global change. It includes an overview of the USGCRP research enterprise and recent highlights that demonstrate progress on the 2012–2021 Strategic Plan. The report also spotlights progress in interagency research priority areas that intersect with the Climate Action Plan, such as climate predictions, drought and other hydrologic extremes, and actionable science. The highlights in this Our Changing Planet report represent the broad spectrum of USGCRP activities that extend from Earth system observations, modeling, and fundamental research through synthesis and assessment, decision support, education, and public engagement.