US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)
The National Climate Assessment is a Congressionally-mandated report that is updated every four years to assess and inform the Nation about the impacts of climate variability and climate change on the U.S., as well as presenting what is being done, and what can be done, to minimize impacts and risks. The U.S. Global Change Research Program coordinates this inter-agency effort, bringing together experts from 13 Federal agencies, the broader Federal government, as well as hundreds of experts in the academic, non-profit, and private sectors. A critical component of the Fourth National Climate Assessment is a robust, inclusive, and transparent stakeholder engagement and public review process.
Dr. Kris May served as a Regional Chapter Lead and Lead Author, leading a team of 12 Federal and academic scientists focusing on current climate variability and future climate risks, impacts on jobs and communities, the natural and built environments, and frontline communities – the communities anticipated to feel the impacts of a changing climate first and the worst. In the Fourth National Climate Assessment, special consideration was given to Tribal communities and populations of concern.
Dr. Juliette Finzi Hart served as an author on the Coastal Effects chapter.
From the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s review of Dr. May's chapter:
“The framing of vulnerable communities as being on the front lines of climate change is excellent. It is a way to draw in diverse communities who are most likely to be affected, which is not just based on socio-economics, but also on livelihood dependency on ecosystems, location, etc. The Committee recommends this language be used elsewhere in the NCA4, as it helps greatly in orientating readers to the direct relevance of the key messages to them, or communities they know.”