Climatic Change

, Volume 135, Issue 1, pp 23–37 | Cite as

Building a sustained climate assessment process

  • James L. Buizer
  • Kirstin Dow
  • Mary E. Black
  • Katharine L. Jacobs
  • Anne Waple
  • Richard H. Moss
  • Susanne Moser
  • Amy Luers
  • David I. Gustafson
  • T.C. Richmond
  • Sharon L. Hays
  • Christopher B. Field
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The leaders and authors of the Third US National Climate Assessment (NCA3) developed new modes of engaging academia, the private sector, government agencies and civil society to support their needs for usable, rigorous, and timely information and better connect science and decision-making. A strategic vision for assessment activities into the future was built during the NCA3 process, including recommendations on how to establish a sustained assessment process that would integrate evolving scientific understanding into decision making to manage the risks of climate change over time. This vision includes a collaborative assessment process that involves partnerships across a diverse and widely distributed set of non-governmental and governmental entities. The new approach to assessments would produce timely, scientifically sound climate information products and processes, rather than focusing on the production of single quadrennial synthesis reports. If properly implemented, a sustained assessment would be more efficient and cost-effective, avoiding the painful and time-consuming process of beginning the assessment process anew every 4 years. This ongoing assessment would also encourage scientific and social innovations and explore new insights and opportunities, building the capacity to advance the development and delivery of climate information to meet societal requirements and benefit from scientific opportunities.

Keywords

Climate Change Impact Assessment Process Special Report Sustained Assessment Synthesis Report 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for important suggestions made by the reviewers, who suggested a number of important improvements.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • James L. Buizer
    • 1
  • Kirstin Dow
    • 2
  • Mary E. Black
    • 1
  • Katharine L. Jacobs
    • 1
  • Anne Waple
    • 3
  • Richard H. Moss
    • 4
  • Susanne Moser
    • 5
  • Amy Luers
    • 6
  • David I. Gustafson
    • 7
  • T.C. Richmond
    • 8
  • Sharon L. Hays
    • 9
  • Christopher B. Field
    • 10
  1. 1.University of ArizonaTucsonUSA
  2. 2.University of South CarolinaColumbiaUSA
  3. 3.Second NatureBostonUSA
  4. 4.Joint Global Change Research InstitutePacific NW National Laboratory and University of MarylandCollege ParkUSA
  5. 5.Susanne Moser Research & ConsultingSanta CruzUSA
  6. 6.Skoll Global Threats FundSan FranciscoUSA
  7. 7.ILSI Research FoundationWashingtonUSA
  8. 8.Van Ness Feldman, L.L.PSeattleUSA
  9. 9.Computer Sciences CorporationFalls ChurchUSA
  10. 10.Carnegie Institution for SciencePalo AltoUSA

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