Climate Change Impacts On The United States Overview Report

Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.

Climate Change Impacts on the United States is part of a national process of research analysis and dialogue about the coming changes in climate, their impacts, and what Americans can do to adapt to an uncertain and continuously changing climate. The report was called for by a 1990 law and was written by the National Assessment Synthesis Team (NAST), a committee of experts drawn from governments, universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations with a wide range of expertise and perspective. The NAST produced two documents: the longer Foundation Report and the Overview Report, which is significantly more accessible and shorter. The two reports cover all areas of the United States and are peer-reviewed documents that synthesize results from studies. They identify key climatic vulnerabilities of particular regions and sectors in the context of other changes in the nation's environment, resources, and economy.

Climate change poses many challenges that affect society and the natural world. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to respond. By taking steps to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the risks to society and the impacts of continued climate change can be lessened. The National Climate Assessment, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is a mandated report intended to inform response decisions. Required to be developed every four years, these reports provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of climate change impacts available for the United States, making them a unique and important climate change document. The draft Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) report reviewed here addresses a wide range of topics of high importance to the United States and society more broadly, extending from human health and community well-being, to the built environment, to businesses and economies, to ecosystems and natural resources. This report evaluates the draft NCA4 to determine if it meets the requirements of the federal mandate, whether it provides accurate information grounded in the scientific literature, and whether it effectively communicates climate science, impacts, and responses for general audiences including the public, decision makers, and other stakeholders.

As global climate change proliferates, so too do the health risks associated with the changing world around us. Called for in the President’s Climate Action Plan and put together by experts from eight different Federal agencies, The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health: A Scientific Assessment is a comprehensive report on these evolving health risks, including: Temperature-related death and illness Air quality deterioration Impacts of extreme events on human health Vector-borne diseases Climate impacts on water-related Illness Food safety, nutrition, and distribution Mental health and well-being This report summarizes scientific data in a concise and accessible fashion for the general public, providing executive summaries, key takeaways, and full-color diagrams and charts. Learn what health risks face you and your family as a result of global climate change and start preparing now with The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health.

Climate Change Impacts on the United States is part of a national process of research analysis and dialogue about the coming changes in climate, their impacts, and what Americans can do to adapt to an uncertain and continuously changing climate. The report was called for by a 1990 law and was written by the National Assessment Synthesis Team (NAST), a committee of experts drawn from governments, universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations. The NAST produced two documents: the longer Foundation Report and the Overview Report, which is significantly more accessible and shorter. The two reports cover all areas of the United States and are peer-reviewed documents that synthesize results from studies. They identify key climatic vulnerabilities of particular regions and sectors in the context of other changes in the nation's environment, resources, and economy.

Climate Change: Evidence and Causes is a jointly produced publication of The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and other individuals seeking authoritative information on the some of the questions that continue to be asked. Climate Change makes clear what is well-established and where understanding is still developing. It echoes and builds upon the long history of climate-related work from both national academies, as well as on the newest climate-change assessment from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It touches on current areas of active debate and ongoing research, such as the link between ocean heat content and the rate of warming.