The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is pleased to announce the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Led by USGCRP and its 14 member agencies, NCA5 draws on the expertise of nearly 500 authors and 250 contributors from every state, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCA5 is the most up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of climate change in the United States, providing authoritative, decision-relevant information on how people across the country are experiencing climate change, the risks we face now and in the future, and actions...

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prepares comprehensive and up-to-date assessments of policy-relevant scientific, technical, and socio-economic information needed to further understand the scientific basis of climate change, potential impacts, and options for mitigation and adaptation. Working Group III (WGIII) assesses climate mitigation options. For the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) cycle, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is funding a Technical Support Unit (TSU) to provide technical and administrative services in direct support of the elected IPCC...

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) is the US. Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation across the Nation. It is a Congressionally mandated, interagency effort that brings together hundreds of experts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as the academic, non-profit, and private sectors. NCA5 is currently in production and planned for release in fall 2023. For more information on NCA5, visit https://www.globalchange.gov/nca5

USGCRP is pleased to announce that Dr. Stacy Aguilera-Peterson will serve as the Deputy Director of Research. Dr. Aguilera-Peterson is on detail to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Geosciences Directorate Ocean Sciences Division. USGCRP thanks NSF for making Dr. Aguilera-Peterson’s detail possible. At NSF, Dr. Aguilera-Peterson fulfilled several functions, including serving as a policy advisor to the Cabinet-level Ocean Policy Committee Ocean Science and Technology subcommittee; chief executive secretary to the White...

USGCRP is pleased to announce that Dr. Julian Reyes will serve as the Deputy Director for Services. Dr. Reyes is on detail to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he serves as Assistant Director for Climate Services. Dr. Reyes comes to OSTP and USGCRP from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he is the National Coordinator for USDA’s Climate Hubs. From that position, he brings broad experience providing actionable, decision-relevant resources to stakeholders and the public to help manage climate risks. USGCRP thanks USDA for making Dr. Reyes’ detail possible. In...

USGCRP is pleased to announce that Dr. Phillip Levin will serve as the Director of the National Nature Assessment . Dr. Levin brings an array of valuable career experiences from academia, federal government, and the non-profit sector to his new role. USGCRP thanks the National Science Foundation for making Dr. Levin’s detail possible. Dr. Levin comes to USGCRP from a dual position as the lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy in Washington State and a Professor of Practice at the University of Washington, where his work bridged scholarship and decision-making. His research has advanced...

On February 2, 2023, Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, named the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the 14th member of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and its first new member in almost two decades. DHS will join the other member agencies in prioritizing and coordinating federal global change research investments and making the knowledge that results from these investments more accessible and usable. DHS brings unique expertise to USGCRP, such as its experience in...

On November 7, 2022, USGCRP released a draft version of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) for public review and comment. To support this important phase of the report's development, USGCRP is hosting two webinars for people interested in learning more about NCA5, why public participation is vital to the process, and how to submit comments on the draft report. The webinars are free and no registration is required. November 29, 2022 | 12:00–1:00 PM ET To join online: https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/wtqggbzd(link is external) To join by phone: Call-in number: +1 (415)...

Through the efforts of USGCRP, authors, NOAA’s Technical Support Unit, and support staff, the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) has moved from the planning phase to putting pen to paper. Here is a look back at recent accomplishments: Gathering a diverse team of authors. In the spring and summer of 2021, the NCA5 Federal Steering Committee selected the report’s Federal coordinating leads and chapter leads. Chapter leadership selected a diverse group of more than 450 experts from across the country to serve as authors. These authors—representing 48 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin...

Work on the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) is underway. The Congressionally mandated report is the U.S. Government’s premier assessment of the science of climate change and its impacts on the Nation. It is written by hundreds of experts from around the country, who help ensure that the findings are accessible and useful to the widest possible audience. NCA5 is expected for release in late 2023. NCA5 Director Announced In July, USGCRP welcomed Allison Crimmins as Director of NCA5. Allison is a climate scientist with expertise in assessing health and economic damages associated with...