OUR CHANGING PLANET
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program
for Fiscal Year 2008

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9. Communications

CCSP, in its vision for the program, identified communications as one of four core approaches for achieving its five overarching scientific goals. CCSP is committed to communicating with interested partners in the United States and throughout the world, and to learning from these partners on a continuing basis. As an essential part of its mission, CCSP stresses openness and transparency in its findings and reports.

The Communications Interagency Working Group (CIWG), established during FY 2004, develops and executes an implementation plan each year that focuses on disseminating the results of CCSP activities credibly and effectively, and making CCSP science findings and products easily available to a diverse set of audiences. Elements of the implementation plan for calendar year 2007 include:

• Media Relations. When requested by the CCSP Director, assist in communicating on climate science issues.
• Public Outreach. Develop materials and methods for public outreach on issues related to climate science and the activities and products of CCSP.
• Web Sites. Develop and advance a strategy for improving, integrating, and promoting the content of web sites operated or supported by CCSP and its participating agencies, recognizing that the sites are essential communication and outreach tools.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITY

• Published and distributed (in both hardcopy and online) the FY 2007 edition of Our Changing Planet, the program's annual report to Congress and the President.
• Produced and distributed Synthesis and Assessment Product (SAP) 2.1, Scenarios of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Atmospheric Concentrations and Review of Integrated Scenario Development and Application. Release included a series of briefings and other activities focused on communicating the report findings.
• Posted online drafts of SAP prospectuses and reports for public comment. The prospectuses provide background information on each planned report and a detailed roadmap used in producing it. All submitted public comments also were posted, along with the authors' responses.
• Posted peer review comments on draft SAP reports, along with the authors' responses.
• Facilitated stakeholder participation in the U.S. Government review of draft documents of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• Distributed hardcopies of the Summary for Policymakers of the Working Group contributions to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC.
• Managed and improved CCSP web sites. Traffic to CCSP's three main sites increased to over 16,700 visits per day by May 2007, a 36% increase over May 2006. CCSPO also improved web services to facilitate interagency collaboration.
• Managed the Global Change Research Information Office (GCRIO), mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990. GCRIO includes a major web site with an online catalog for requesting reports and CDs. Through the catalog, GCRIO distributes an average of 700 items each month.
• Managed the Climate Change Technology Program (CCTP) public web site, where the number of visits by May 2007 was up 43% from a year prior. The CCTP Strategic Plan is among the major recent postings. CCSPO also provides additional support services to CCTP, including development and management of password-protected web sites and publications support.

HIGHLIGHTS OF PLANS FOR FY 2008

• Post on the CCSP web site drafts of SAP reports for public review and comment. All submitted comments will be posted along with the authors' responses.
• Post peer review comments on draft SAP reports, along with the authors' responses.
• Produce and distribute final SAP reports. CIWG will advise the SAP teams and lead agencies on communications-related issues, including: dissemination to appropriate stakeholders; briefings; press releases; and summaries for a range of audiences across different information media.
• Prepare, publish, publicize, and disseminate the FY 2008 and FY 2009 editions of Our Changing Planet.
• Continue to improve and expand web sites by preparing and posting new web content, improving web site usability and accessibility, enhancing integration between agency and interagency web sites, and expanding web services to CCSP working groups.