On July 22, AMWA submitted comments to the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) on its proposed annotated outline for the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). NCA4 is expected by 2018.
AMWA’s comments support the annotated outline. In response to a question about how to address information needs and gaps previously identified, AMWA recommends that USGCRP quantify what is known and not know about subregional trends and timescales relating to future changes in precipitation patterns. AMWA’s comments also urge USGCRP to provide examples for climate resilience plans that are being implemented with success. AMWA also recommends that USGCRP include information for how to measure climate risk reduction on both regional and sectoral scales.
With the development and release of NCA3, USGCRP implemented a sustained process for developing future reports. This sustained process enables new information and analyses to be considered and brought forward to the community of scientists and practitioners as it is developed. For example, earlier this year USGCRP released special reports on the impacts of climate change on human health, global food security and drought effects on forests and rangelands. These reports will be used in developing NCA4.
In addition, last month NOAA appointed fifteen members to the new Advisory Committee for the Sustained National Climate Assessment, including Paul Fleming, Climate Resiliency Group Manager at Seattle Public Utilities. The committee is chartered for two years.