The U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), led by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, provides vital information to Americans on the risks of climate change. Authors and contributors are tasked with collectively developing a broadly accessible report that can support a wide range of decision-makers, including community organizers, business owners, farmers, and concerned individuals. To provide usable information to these disparate audiences, the report synthesizes and evaluates the state of the science, analyzing the effects of global change on U.S. regions (e.g. Northeast, Southwest, Hawai'i and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands) and national-level topics (e.g. water, energy, agriculture, health, oceans, and ecosystems). It also provides examples of actions underway in communities across the United States to reduce the risks associated with climate change, increase resilience, and improve livelihoods. The extensive number of regional, national, and response topics covered in NCAs helps ensure the climate information presented is relevant and relatable to all Americans. Other strategies that advance this goal include soliciting regional chapter author nominations from within said region and adding features or text boxes within national chapters to connect concepts to lived experiences. In addition, public engagement activities allowed individuals to share their feedback with authors, shaping chapter development and better ensuring that the content reflects the needs of decision-makers at all levels. Given the breadth of material synthesized in the NCA, it is also critical that the information provided be strategically focused to communicate effectively. Using risk-based framing helps present the science in a way that best supports the needs and priorities of decision-makers. To date, four NCAs have been released, the most recent in 2018. Work on the fifth assessment, NCA5, is currently underway with an expected release date of late 2023. This presentation will share the latest updates on NCA5 scope, development progress, and next steps. It will also describe planned advances since the fourth assessment and upcoming public engagement opportunities.

Fifth national climate assessment: Communicating climate-related risk to a national audience

ACS Spring 2022

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