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National Climate Assessment

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The National Climate Assessment ( NCA ) is an initiative within the U.S. federal government focused on climate change science, formed under the auspices of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 .

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54-487: The NCA is a major product of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) which coordinates a team of experts and receives input from a Federal Advisory Committee. NCA research is integrated and summarized in the mandatory ongoing National Climate Assessment Reports. The reports are "extensively reviewed by the public and experts, including federal agencies and a panel of the National Academy of Sciences . For

108-480: A 17-member Council, made up of five officers (president, vice president, home secretary, international secretary, and treasurer) and 12 Councilors, all of whom are elected from among the academy membership. Agencies of the United States government fund about 85 percent of the academy's activities. Further funding comes from state governments, private foundations, and industrial organizations. The council has

162-511: A formal nomination, followed by a vetting period, and culminates in a final ballot at the academy's annual meeting in April each year. Members are affiliated with a specific scientific field in one of six so-called "classes", which include: Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Biological Sciences; Engineering and Applied Sciences; Biomedical Sciences; Behavioral and Social Sciences; and Applied Biological, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Over

216-532: A letter signed by 255 Academy members was published in Science magazine , decrying "political assaults" against climate change scientists. This was in response to a civil investigative demand on the University of Virginia (UVA) by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli , seeking a broad range of documents from Michael E. Mann , a former UVA professor from 1999 to 2005. Mann, who currently works at

270-692: A nation in Civil War as the Lazzaroni had hoped, nor did it centralize American scientific efforts. However, election to the National Academy did come to be considered "the pinnacle of scientific achievement for Americans" until the establishment of the Nobel Prize at the end of the 19th century. In 1870, the congressional charter was amended to remove the limitation on the number of members. In 2013, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson

324-542: A number of different awards: In 2005, the national science academies of the G8  forum (including the National Academy of Sciences) and science academies of Brazil, China, and India (three of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the developing world) signed a statement on the global response to climate change . The statement stresses that the scientific understanding of climate change had become sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. On May 7, 2010,

378-477: Is an NAS conference facility. The president is the head of the academy, elected by a majority vote of the membership to serve in this position for a term to be determined by the governing Council, not to exceed six years, and may be re-elected for a second term. The academy has had 22 presidents since its foundation. The current president is geophysicist Marcia K. McNutt , the first woman to hold this position. Her term expires on June 30, 2022. The academy gives

432-786: Is conducted under the auspices of the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The GCRA requires a report to the President and the Congress every four years that integrates, evaluates, and interprets the findings of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP); analyzes the effects of global change on the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and use, land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare, human social systems, and biological diversity ; and analyzes current trends in global change, both human-induced and natural, and projects major trends for

486-576: Is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence." A 2018 CRS cited the October 2017 CSSR: "Detection and attribution studies, climate models, observations, paleoclimate data, and physical understanding lead to high confidence (extremely likely) that more than half of

540-705: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), its scholarly journal. The National Academies Press is the publisher for the National Academies and makes more than 5,000 publications freely available on its website. From 2004 to 2017, the National Academy of Sciences administered the Marian Koshland Science Museum to provide public exhibits and programming related to its policy work. The museum's exhibits focused on climate change and infectious disease . In 2017,

594-562: The Ivy League , account for nearly 28% of all members ever elected. Those ten are also precisely the only institutions in the entire history of the NAS to have had 100 or more members overall. On the list for living members, only 14 institutions have 50 or more members overall, including the medical school (where it applies). They represent 32% of all living members of the NAS. The National Academy of Sciences maintains multiple buildings around

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648-436: The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). As a national academy , new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to the National Academy is one of the highest honors in the scientific field. Members of the National Academy of Sciences serve pro bono as "advisers to

702-607: The University of Pennsylvania , is a climate change researcher, and Cuccinelli alleges that Mann may have defrauded Virginia taxpayers in the course of his environmental research. Investigations had cleared Mann of charges that he falsified or suppressed data. Richard H. Moss Richard H. Moss is a climate scientist and former chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment . In that role, he

756-589: The 13 member agencies, the GCIS serves as a key access point to assessments, reports, and tools produced by the USGCRP. The GCIS is managed, integrated, and curated by USGCRP. National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences ( NAS ) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization . NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine , along with

810-771: The Global Change Research Act. Administrative support for the US Global Change Research Program was provided by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research , which was sponsored by the National Science Foundation ." In their 2001 assessment, the NAST concluded in the United States, "natural ecosystems appear to be the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of climate change." In their 2001 report they also described long-term major trends in climate change in

864-529: The Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science or art, the actual expense of such investigations, examinations, experiments, and reports to be paid from appropriations which may be made for the purpose, but the Academy shall receive no compensation whatever for any services to the Government of the United States. The National Academies did not solve the problems facing

918-500: The NAS, NAE, and NAM. Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences hosts exhibitions exploring intersections of art, science, and culture such as Mathemalchemy . The 2012 Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching ceremony was held here on March 5, 2014. Approximately 150 staff members work at the NAS Building. In June 2012, it reopened to visitors after a major two-year restoration project which restored and improved

972-553: The NCADAC, the draft Third NCA report was released for public review and comment on January 14, 2013. By the time the public comment period closed on April 12, 2013, more than 4000 comments had been received from 644 government, non-profit, and commercial sector employees, educators, students, and the general public. Concurrently, the National Research Council , part of the National Academy of Sciences , reviewed

1026-716: The National Academy of Sciences – formerly located at 525 E St., N.W. – hosted visits from the public, school field trips, and permanent science exhibits. NAS also maintains conference centers in California and Massachusetts. The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center is located on 100 Academy Drive in Irvine, California , near the campus of the University of California, Irvine ; it offers a conference center and houses several NAS programs. The J. Erik Jonsson Conference Center, located at 314 Quissett Avenue in Woods Hole, Massachusetts ,

1080-515: The Senate and House approved it, and President Lincoln signed it. Although hailed as a great step forward in government recognition of the role of science in American society, at the time, the National Academy of Sciences created enormous ill-feelings among scientists, whether or not they were named as incorporators. The act states: [T]he Academy shall, whenever called upon by any department of

1134-634: The Third National Climate Assessment, released in 2014, USGCRP coordinated hundreds of experts and received advice from a sixty-member Federal Advisory Committee . The Fourth NCA ( NCA4 ) was released in two volumes, in October 2017 and in November 2018. The First National Climate Assessment was published in 2000. Between 2002 and 2009, USGCRP previously known as the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), produced 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAPs). The second NCA

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1188-633: The U.S. in the context of broader global change, and provides input to Federal science priorities and is used by U.S. citizens, communities, and businesses as they create more sustainable and environmentally sound plans for the nation's future. In 2013, the President's Climate Action Plan released by the Executive Office of the President specifically noted the importance of the National Climate Assessments in achieving

1242-557: The United States" was delivered to the Federal Government for review in 2013 and became available to the public in May 2014. The Third NCA report was written by more than 300 authors drawn from academia; local, state, tribal, and Federal governments; and the private and nonprofit sectors. The NCADAC selected these authors based on criteria that included expertise, experience, and ensuring a variety of perspectives. After review by

1296-413: The United States" was released on November 23, 2018. According to Volume II, "Without substantial and sustained global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was "administrative lead agency" in

1350-404: The United States", was published in 2009. In addition to synthesizing, evaluating, and reporting on what was known about the potential consequences of climate change , the report also sought to identify potential measures to adapt to climate change and to identify the highest research priorities for the future. The Third National Climate Assessment report entitled "Global Climate Change Impacts in

1404-544: The United States. The National Academy of Sciences Building is located at 2101 Constitution Avenue , in northwest Washington, D.C. ; it sits on the National Mall , adjacent to the Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building and in front of the headquarters of the U.S. State Department . The building has a neoclassical architectural style and was built by architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue . The building

1458-524: The ability ad-hoc to delegate certain tasks to committees. For example, the Committee on Animal Nutrition has produced a series of Nutrient requirements of domestic animals reports since at least 1944, each one being initiated by a different sub-committee of experts in the field for example on dairy cattle . The National Academy of Sciences meets annually in Washington, D.C., which is documented in

1512-493: The addition of women to the academy "continues at a dismal trickle"; at that time there were 1,516 male members and 57 female members. The National Academy of Sciences is one of the 135 member organizations of the International Science Council (ISC). Although there is no formal relationship with state and local academies of science, there often is informal dialogue. The National Academy is governed by

1566-486: The assistance of "1,000 people, including 300 leading scientists, roughly half from outside the government." NCA5 was published on November 14, 2023. Proposed Chapters (as of February 2022): The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has established the Global Change Information System (GCIS) to better coordinate and integrate the use of federal information products on changes in

1620-505: The building's historic spaces, increased accessibility, and brought the building's aging infrastructure and facilities up to date. More than 1,000 National Academies staff members work at The Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 Fifth Street in northwest Washington, D.C. The Keck Center provides meeting space and houses the National Academies Press Bookstore. The Marian Koshland Science Museum of

1674-401: The draft and submitted feedback. The NCADAC produced a final draft of their report and provided it to the federal government for review in late fall of 2013; a final public version of the report was released on May 6, 2014. A number of derivative products, including a printed "Highlights" document, have been produced in addition to the full interactive electronic NCA document that is available on

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1728-469: The entire history of the NAS, Harvard University is associated with the most members (331) overall, while the University of California at Berkeley is associated with the most members (255) without including the medical school. E.g. of the topmost schools, UC Berkeley/MIT/Princeton/Caltech do not have medical schools, while Harvard/Stanford do. The top ten institutions, two of which are from the University of California System and another four of which are in

1782-484: The global environment and the implications of those changes for society. The GCIS is an open-source, web-based resource for traceable, sound global change data, information, and products. Designed for use by scientists, decision makers, and the public, the GCIS provides coordinated links to a select group of information products produced, maintained, and disseminated by government agencies and organizations. As well as guiding users to global change research products selected by

1836-513: The goal of "Using Sound Science to Manage Climate Impacts". The next assessment is scheduled to be released is 2023. On August 18, 2017, a 15-member advisory committee that was tasked with writing "concrete guidance" based on the assessment was disbanded. NOAA said that the disbandment of the committee will not "impact the completion of the Fourth National Climate Assessment." The National Climate Assessment (NCA)

1890-399: The government 'whenever called upon' by any government department", an objective that promulgated the academy with the broad and enduring purpose of enriching and providing resources to any part of the federal government—rather than as a tool of one branch, or executive agencies, which adds a risk or propensity of becoming the tool of one part of the government. The goal was somewhat unusual at

1944-553: The impacts, risks, and vulnerabilities associated with a changing global climate in support of decision-making across the U.S. According to the USGCRP official website the NCA, Informs the nation about already observed changes, the current status of the climate, and anticipated trends for the future; integrates scientific information from multiple sources and sectors to highlight key findings and significant gaps in our knowledge; establishes consistent methods for evaluating climate impacts in

1998-469: The museum closed and made way for a new science outreach program called LabX. The Act of Incorporation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on March 3, 1863, created the National Academy of Sciences and named 50 charter members. Many of the original NAS members came from the so-called " Scientific Lazzaroni ", an informal network of mostly physical scientists working in the vicinity of Cambridge, Massachusetts ( c.  1850 ). In 1863,

2052-560: The nation" on science, engineering, and medicine. The group holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code . Congress legislated, and President Abraham Lincoln signed, a 1863 Act of Congress establishing the National Academy of Sciences as an independent, trusted government institution created for the purpose of "providing independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology [and] to provide scientific advice to

2106-545: The observed global mean warming since 1951 was caused by humans, and high confidence that internal climate variability played only a minor role (and possibly even a negative contribution) in the observed warming since 1951. The key message and supporting text summarizes extensive evidence documented in the peer-reviewed detection and attribution literature, including in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report ." Volume 2 entitled "Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in

2160-605: The ongoing assessment process. The committee was sun-set in fall 2014. The Department of Commerce established the NCADAC in December 2010 as per the Federal Advisory Committee Act (1972). 1972. The NCADAC was supported through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The successor Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment , established in 2015,

2214-507: The organizers enlisted the support of Alexander Dallas Bache , and also Charles Henry Davis , a professional astronomer who had been recently recalled from the Navy to Washington to head the Bureau of Navigation . They also elicited support from Swiss-American geologist Louis Agassiz and American mathematician Peirce , who together planned the steps whereby the National Academy of Sciences

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2268-509: The preparation of the Fourth National Climate Assessment. According to NOAA, "human health and safety" and American "quality of life" is "increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change". The USGCRP team that produced the report included thirteen federal agencies— NOAA, the DOA , DOC , DOD , DOE , HHS , DOI , DOS , DOT , EPA , NASA , NSF , Smithsonian Institution , and the USAID —with

2322-488: The second President of NAS. Agassiz, Davis, Peirce, Benjamin Gould and Senator Wilson met at Bache's house and "hurriedly wrote the bill incorporating the Academy, including in it the name of fifty incorporators". During the last hours of the session, when the Senate was immersed in the rush of last-minute business before its adjournment, Senator Wilson introduced the bill. Without examining it or debating its provisions, both

2376-434: The subsequent 25 to 100 years. The Federal government is responsible for producing these reports through the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) , a collaboration of 13 Federal agencies and departments. The National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee (NCADAC) was a 60-person U.S. Federal Advisory Committee which oversaw the development of the draft Third NCA report and made recommendations about

2430-485: The time, and also different than other knowledge based entities serving a branch of government, such as the Library of Congress. The academy receives no compensation from the government for its services. As of 2024 , the National Academy of Sciences includes 2,687 NAS members and 531 international members . It employed about 1,100 staff in 2005. Some 190 members have won a Nobel Prize. By its own admission in 1989,

2484-700: The twenty-first century. The first NAST co-chairs were Dr. Jerry M. Melillo of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Tony Janetos, and Thomas Karl. The First National Climate Assessment prepared by National Assessment Synthesis Team (NAST), entitled "Climate Change Impacts on the United States: the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change", was released in 2000. The report

2538-668: The web. In preparation for the 2014 NCA, the USGCRP began in 2011 to call for wider participation and reinforced the long-term goal of improving climate literacy. Recruitment began in 2011 for NCAnet, a network of organizations working with the NCA, to further engage producers and users of assessment information across the United States. NCAnet was officially established and registered at the Federal Register on April 13, 2012. In Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) Volume 1, released in October 2017, entitled "Climate Science Special Report" (CSSR), researchers reported that "it

2592-413: Was a multidisciplinary effort to study and portray in regional detail the potential effects of human-induced global warming on the United States. The project was articulated into some 20 regional studies - each involving dozens of scientific and academic experts as well as representatives of industry and environmental groups. The Second National Climate Assessment, entitled "Global Climate Change Impacts in

2646-783: Was asked to write a speech for the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address in which he made the point that one of Lincoln's greatest legacies was establishing the National Academy of Sciences in that same year, which had the long-term effect of "setting our Nation on a course of scientifically enlightened governance, without which we all may perish from this Earth". The academy currently (as of late-2024) has 6892 members, including international ones, both past and present. 3218 of them are living. Existing members elect new members for life. Up to 120 members are elected every year while up to 30 foreign citizens may be elected as international members annually. The election process begins with

2700-469: Was dedicated in 1924 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Goodhue engaged a team of artists and architectural sculptors including Albert Herter , Lee Lawrie , and Hildreth Meière to design interior embellishments celebrating the history and significance of science. The building is used for lectures, symposia, exhibitions, and concerts, in addition to annual meetings of

2754-404: Was published in 2009 and the third was released in 2014. NCA's overarching goal according to their May 20, 2011 engagement strategy summary, "is to enhance the ability of the U.S. to anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to changes in the global environment (NCA 2011:2)." The vision is to advance an inclusive, broad based, and sustained process for assessing and communicating scientific knowledge of

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2808-713: Was sunsetted by the Trump administration on August 20, 2017. The fifteen-member committee was chaired by Richard H. Moss . In 1998, the first National Assessment Synthesis Team (NAST) was formed under the auspices of the Subcommittee on Global Change Research (SGCR), through the Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources (CENR) and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) with members from "government, academia, and private enterprise." Its mandate

2862-645: Was to be established. Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts was to name Agassiz to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution . Agassiz was to come to Washington, D.C., at the government's expense to plan the organization with the others. This bypassed Joseph Henry , who was reluctant to have a bill for such an academy presented to Congress . This was in the belief that such a resolution would be "opposed as something at variance with our democratic institutions". Nevertheless, Henry soon became

2916-446: Was to broadly "design and conduct" "national efforts to assess the consequences of climate variability and climate change for the United States." NAST is an advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to help the US Global Change Research Program fulfill its legal mandate under the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The NSTC forwarded the report to the President and Congress for their consideration as required by

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