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Highlights

Since 1989, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has submitted annual reports to Congress called Our Changing Planet. The reports describe the status of USGCRP research activities, provide progress updates, and document recent accomplishments.

In particular, Our Changing Planet highlights progress and accomplishments in interagency activities. These highlights 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.

Social Science, National Climate Assessment

Improving social science inputs to the National Climate Assessment

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...

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Social Science, Indicators

A collaboration explores socio-environmental systems indicators for climate change adaptation and resilience

A national system of physical, ecological, and societal indicators is considered a foundational component of the sustained assessment process, serving to help users understand the changing environment, assess risks and vulnerabilities, and make informed decisions to build resilience to change. A 2019 Federal–academic workshop sought to advance the development of socio-environmental systems indicators of climate change to support adaptation and resilience decisions at various scales in the United States.

This work was supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (...

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Social Science

A collaboration identifies pathways to enhance social science integration in federal global change research

Through its Social Science Coordinating Committee (SSCC), USGCRP works to integrate social science methods, findings, and disciplinary perspectives into federal global change research programs. The social, behavioral, and economic sciences provide critical insights on the drivers and impacts of global change and inform mitigation, adaptation, and resilience decisions.
 
In February 2019, in collaboration with the National Academies’ Board on Environmental Change and Society, the SSCC convened a seminar entitled “Climate Resilience Pathways and Social Science...
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Social Science

Learning from social science perspectives

Social science methods and insights can enhance Federal global change research, assessments, and programs.

In March 2017, USGCRP’s Social Science Coordinating Committee convened a three-day workshop, “Social Science Perspectives on Climate Change.” The workshop brought together over 80 participants, including scientists and program managers from 13 Federal agencies, representatives from non-governmental organizations, and academic social scientists from four disciplines: anthropology, archaeology, geography, and sociology. Participants focused on identifying...

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