Climate assessment a roadmap out of climate crisis
The latest National Climate Assessment, the fifth such report by the U.S. government, is an excellent source of information on climate change. It includes improved graphics and accessibility, communicating the latest scientific research and trends.
The assessment is the product of The Global Change Research Act of 1990. The act requires research into global warming and its impacts on the environment, economics, health and safety. It directs the president to establish an interagency research program — “The U.S. Global Change Research Program” — to study global change and produce a report to the president and Congress every four years. The first assessment was released in 2000, and the fifth was released in November.
The report’s broader purpose is to synthesize scientific information to inform a broad audience of decision-makers across the country. These include national, state, local and tribal governments, city planners, public health officials, farmers, business owners, water utilities, media and more. This information is vital to account for “impacts, risks and vulnerabilities associated with a changing global climate” and long-term trends impacting planning for sustainability, mitigation and adaptation.
The assessment gathers and integrates information from over a dozen federal agencies including: Commerce, NOAA, NASA, Agriculture, Energy, Defense, Transportation and more. An expert internal review of the most recent assessment was conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/eco-nomics-climate-assessment-a-roadmap-out-of-climate-crisis/