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.

An image from a new pilot smartphone-based information tool that alerts users in Florida’s central Gulf Coast to potential respiratory hazards from toxic algal blooms.

In the Gulf of Mexico, toxic algal bloom outbreaks (or red tides) occur primarily during the late summer and early fall, and can be harmful to people and ecosystems. One of the most severe red tide outbreaks in a decade hit Florida’s Gulf Coast throughout the summer and early fall of 2018, with widespread adverse impacts that prompted the governor to declare a State of Emergency in mid-August.

In October 2018, a new pilot smartphone-based information resource developed by NASA, NOAA, and state and local partners began alerting users to red tide risks...

A king tide flooded parts of Imperial Beach, California in December 2018.

U.S. coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise, tidal flooding, higher storm surge, coastal erosion, and other climate-related impacts.^[1] To help communities in southern California plan for rising water levels, a NASA DEVELOP team collaborated with the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, in partnership with the California Coastal Commission, to create detailed projections of flooding from sea level rise and coastal storms along the...

Collaboration across regions and institutions in Alaska supports increased resilience to climate-related risks to lives and livelihoods.

In Alaska, changes in snow, ice, and weather have increased risks to human lives and threats to valuable natural resources, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted hunting, fishing, and livelihoods. The vast and largely undisturbed landscapes of Alaska and Northwest Canada support unique natural and cultural resources that are valued locally and globally. To help address these challenges, leaders...

A breach at Old Inlet, Fire Island National Seashore, caused by Hurricane Sandy. Interagency science is supporting efforts to build resilience to coastal storms and other stressors. Source: National Park Service.

A new Federal coastal adaptation resource highlights strategies to protect natural and cultural resources in coastal parks that can be applied in coastal landscapes across the country.

The “Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook” and “...

The educational guides are tailored to each region of the country shown above, as well as coasts and oceans. (Source: The Third National Climate Assessment, 2014)

Although global climate change can be challenging to grasp as a seemingly abstract concept, connecting it to concrete impacts that are recognizable within a familiar region can be an effective approach for understanding and learning. The Third National Climate Assessment offers a wealth of accessible information about climate effects, risks, and response strategies at the regional scale. Capitalizing on this, NOAA, the NCAnet Education Affinity Group, and members of the

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The Transboundary Flathead River Watershed, home to key trout and salmon species, extends from British Columbia into Montana. (Credit: G. Lenz, USGS)

Trout and salmon are economically and ecologically important stream-dwelling species. Researchers from USGS, NOAA, and the University of Montana are working together to assess the effects of current and future climate change on these species’ freshwater habitats throughout the Pacific Northwest, with the goal of providing tools to help managers predict and respond to potential climate impacts on habitats, populations, and the economy.

Research to date indicate that increasing stream water temperatures may lead to fragmentation of suitable habitat for

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Flooding in Jakarta in 2013. (Credit: U.S. Embassy in Indonesia)

Coastal zones are central to socioeconomic development and are estimated to provide more than half of all global ecosystem goods and services. These narrow, marginal, often low-lying areas are subject to intense population pressure—with over a billion inhabitants—and are highly vulnerable to extreme weather and natural hazards associated with climate change. USGCRP supports efforts to understand and prepare for climate impacts in coastal zones worldwide through its member agency activities in the United States and its funding for IHDP, IGBP, and

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Map of current (yellow) and potential future (pink) flood risks for a portion of the New Jersey coastline. The different shades of pink represent four future scenarios with sea-level rise ranging from 8 inches to 6.6 feet. (Source: Sea Level Rise Map Serv

Overview
Hurricane Sandy hit the northeastern United States in October 2012 and was the deadliest hurricane of the season, as well as the second costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Such extreme coastal flooding events are expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change-related sea-level rise. A Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force was created to provide consistent, clear, accessible information for decision

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The USGS’s National Assessment of Shoreline Change Web Mapping Application shows modern and historical shorelines and evaluations of shoreline change. This screenshot shows long-term shoreline change data for a portion of the mid-Atlantic coast. (Source:

Overview
Coastal erosion is a long-term concern along most open-ocean shorelines in America. As coastal populations increase and more infrastructure is built to support them, demand is increasing for accurate information and regionally comprehensive analyses regarding past and present shoreline changes.

In an effort to document and understand recent trends in

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Highlights

A new forecast tool helps the public avoid toxic algal blooms

Flood mapping helps planners visualize the future of California’s coast

Building coastal resilience in Alaska

Supporting adaptation in coastal communities

Teaching Climate Where We Live

Assessing Risks to Freshwater Fish

Supporting Sustainability and Resilience in Coastal Zones

Planning for the Future After Hurricane Sandy

Documenting Shoreline Changes to Better Understand Climate Impacts