Climate change is likely to impede progress on reducing undernourishment around the world in the decades ahead, according to a scientific assessment released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) in Paris. Climate Change, Global
By Dr. John P. Holdren, Dr. Tamara Dickinson, Dr. Mike Kuperberg, and Afua Bruce Twenty-five years ago today, the landmark Global Change Research Act (GCRA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, formally mandating the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) that had been proposed in President Reagan’s final budget. Upon the
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Oct 9, 2015National Climate Assessment, Modeling
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released two reports that provide detailed comparisons of phases 3 and 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3 and CMIP5) for the United States. Understanding the strengths of these simulations and the differences among models is important for sustained assessment
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Oct 8, 2015Dr. James R. Mahoney, the Director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program ( CCSP ) 1 from 2002- 2006, passed away on Wednesday, September 23. He was 77. Dr. Mahoney was well-respected for his ability to fuse science and policy. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and
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Aug 6, 2015National Climate Assessment
By Dr. Kathryn Sullivan Decision-makers across the nation are increasingly focused on anticipating, mitigating, and adapting to climate change . That’s why the President’s Climate Action Plan emphasizes the importance of “actionable science”: scientific findings tailored to assist decision makers and citizens in anticipating and preparing for
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Jul 7, 2015USGCRP would like to thank everyone who participated in the recent public comment periods for the draft Climate and Health Assessment (The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment) and the sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) process.
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Jun 5, 2015Oceans, Physical Climate, Observations
A NOAA-led study refutes the much-publicized idea that there has been a recent slowdown or “hiatus” in the rate of global warming . The study finds that global warming during the last 15 years has progressed as fast or faster than during the latter half of the 20th century.
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May 19, 2015Physical Climate, Scenarios, Observations, Modeling, Water Resources, International, Carbon Cycle, Arctic, Agriculture & Food, Education, Energy, Human Health, Extreme Events, Adaptation
The latest edition of Our Changing Planet, USGCRP's annual report to Congress, highlights progress in advancing science, informing decisions, conducting assessments, and engaging with diverse audiences. The report also spotlights interagency priority areas, including climate predictions, global change in the Arctic, water extremes, and actionable science.
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May 15, 2015Oceans, Physical Climate, Observations, International
The last remaining piece of Antarctica’s Larsen B Ice Shelf will likely disintegrate by the end of this decade, according to a new NASA-led study. The ice shelf, which partially collapsed in 2002, has existed for at least 10,000 years.
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May 6, 2015National Climate Assessment
By Dr. Tamara Dickinson A year ago today, hundreds of the country’s top climate scientists confirmed that climate change is affecting every region across America in the third U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) – the most comprehensive scientific report on domestic climate change impacts ever generated. Since then, communities, localities, and