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| U.S. National Climate Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Name | U.S. National Climate Assessment |
| Formation | 1990 (first report) |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Parent organization | U.S. Global Change Research Program |
U.S. National Climate Assessment The U.S. National Climate Assessment is a recurring scientific synthesis produced under the aegis of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, intended to evaluate the impacts, risks, and responses to climate change across the United States. The Assessment integrates observations, models, and stakeholder input to inform decision makers in federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Its reports are cited by actors including the White House, the United States Congress, state executives like the Governor of California, and municipal leaders in cities such as New York City and Miami.
The Assessment compiles peer-reviewed science from institutions such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Smithsonian Institution alongside inputs from universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley. It synthesizes work by researchers associated with centers like the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Reports draw on modeling efforts developed at laboratories such as Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Stakeholders include NGOs and foundations such as the Nature Conservancy, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The Assessment traces roots to the Global Change Research Act of 1990 which directed the U.S. Global Change Research Program to produce periodic syntheses; earlier federal assessments referenced work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the National Research Council. The quadrennial cadence and scope evolved through administrations from presidents such as George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, with institutional oversight involving the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Council on Environmental Quality. Legal and policy responses to the Assessment have intersected with statutes like the Clean Air Act and decisions by the United States Supreme Court.
The process convenes coordinating authors, review editors, and technical contributors from institutions including Columbia University, University of Washington, Princeton University, Yale University, and University of Michigan. Methods incorporate datasets from observatories such as Mauna Loa Observatory, paleoclimate records curated by the National Museum of Natural History, and satellite retrievals from Landsat and MODIS instruments operated by NASA. Climate projections use scenarios tied to work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and modeling frameworks developed by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project and centers such as the Hadley Centre and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. The Assessment employs review mechanisms similar to those used by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and editorial practices found in journals like Science and Nature Climate Change.
Major Assessment reports—issued in cycles that produced landmark syntheses in years tied to administrations—summarize trends such as rising global mean temperatures observed at stations like NOAA Mauna Loa Observatory and regional effects documented by state agencies including the California Air Resources Board. Findings align with conclusions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and research by scholars such as Michael E. Mann, Kerry Emanuel, and James Hansen. Reports highlight impacts documented in peer-reviewed articles published in outlets like Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Climate, and Geophysical Research Letters.
Regional chapters examine areas such as the Northeastern United States, the Southeastern United States, the Great Plains, the Northwest United States, and island territories including Puerto Rico. Sectoral analyses address agriculture systems relevant to the United States Department of Agriculture, coastal infrastructure in ports like Los Angeles Harbor and Port of New Orleans, public health concerns spotlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, energy infrastructure managed by entities such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and transportation networks including agencies like the Federal Highway Administration. Impacts on ecosystems reference national parks such as Yellowstone National Park and marine regions like the Gulf of Mexico.
Policymakers in bodies like the United States Congress and executive offices including the White House use Assessment findings to inform legislation, executive orders, and agency rulemaking at the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation. The Assessment informs international engagement in forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and national commitments related to accords like the Paris Agreement. State and local planners—including offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, and Boston—use the Assessment to justify resilience investments, while businesses such as utilities and insurers reference its scenarios for risk assessment alongside standards from organizations like the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
The Assessment has faced critiques over perceived politicization under various administrations including debates in the United States Congress and scrutiny from think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute. Scientific disputes have involved interpretation of regional attribution studies by researchers at institutions like University of Alabama, Duke University, and Cornell University, and legal challenges have arisen in policy contexts involving the Supreme Court of the United States. Questions about transparency, peer review, and stakeholder representation have prompted reviews by bodies including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and commentary in media outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Category:United States federal environmental policy