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Click on mega-regions (identified on the large map below by large white labels) to directly access the Overview section on that area. For some mega-regions, and for all regions (smaller areas identified on the map with black labels), you will see a popup summary of select impacts when the cursor pauses over the area or label.
PDF version of this Overview section HTML version of this Overview Section, with larger illustrations. The National Assessment Overview and Foundation Reports were produced by the National Assessment Synthesis Team, an advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and were not subjected to OSTP's Information Quality Act Guidelines. The National Assessment was forwarded to the President and Congress in November 2000 for their consideration.
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There are both important commonalities and important differences in the climate-related issues and consequences faced around the country. For example, water is a key issue in virtually all regions, but the specific changes and impacts in the West, in the Great Lakes, and the Southeast will differ. Regional texture is thus critical in thinking through how to best respond to the changing climate we will face in the coming decades and century. Twenty regional workshops involving a wide range of researchers and stakeholders helped identify key issues facing each region and began identifying potential adaptation strategies. This report groups the findings of these efforts into larger regions to offer a glimpse of the regional mosaic of consequences that are possible due to climate change and variability. The impacts highlighted here suggest that it is vital that people everywhere start to learn about climate impacts and consider them in their short- and long-term decisions about infrastructure, land use, and other planning. In many cases, research is needed to assess the feasibility, effectiveness, and costs of the adaptation strategies identified in the regional overviews |
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