On May 6, the White House released the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment, the most authoritative and comprehensive source of scientific information to date about climate-change impacts across all U.S. regions and on critical sectors of the economy.
Van Ness Feldman partner T.C. Richmond was vice-chair of the federal advisory committee that produced the National Climate Assessment, published May 6, 2014 by the U.S. federal government. The report, “Climate Change Impacts in the United States,” includes national overviews and ten regional chapters and chapters on sectors. Richmond was also a lead author of the report’s chapter on water.
The new assessment was written by more than 300 U.S. experts. It includes national overviews and the appendix contains an FAQ that is a valuable educational tool. Regional summaries cover the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Great Plains, Southwest, Northwest, Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific Islands, Oceans, and Coasts.
Sectors covered include:
- Energy;
- Water;
- Transportation;
- Agriculture;
- Forests;
- Human Health;
- Ecosystems;
- Urban;
- Indigenous Peoples;
- Land Use and Land Cover Change;
- Rural Communities; and
- Biogeochemical Cycles.
For the first time, the report also assesses progress in climate change response strategies, including Decision Support, Mitigation, Adaptation, and Research Needs.
The web-based version of the National Climate Assessment can be found at http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/. The Highlights document and Chapters and Appendices can be downloaded at http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/downloads.
For more information, contact T.C. Richmond.