USGCRP Home National Assessment Acclimations May/June 2000 US Geological Survey Supports National Assessment as Part of Global Change Research | | Search |
By Dave Kirtland, U.S. Geological Survey The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts global change and related research on behalf of the Department of the Interior (DOI). With the formation of the National Biological Survey and its incorporation in the USGS, all global change research within DOI became focused in the USGS. The addition of biologic research to the geologic, hydrologic, geographic, and mapping investigations of the USGS provides a unique opportunity to study the Earth's systems. Core Global Change Research Global change research
at the USGS provides long-term data, information, and scientific understanding
of the Earth's systems as described
below:
Support
to the National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability
and Change for the United States (National Assessment)
The USGS has been involved
in the National Assessment from its beginning. On behalf of DOI, the USGS
sponsored the initial phase of regional workshops in Alaska, the Southwest,
the Rocky Mountains/Great Basin, and Hawaii and Pacific Island Territories
and went on to sponsor full assessments in these regions. When sectoral
assessments were identified, the USGS took lead responsibility for water
resources.
The principal goals of DOI for the National Assessment
follow:
Early USGS involvement is described on the following web pageshttp://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/Workshop Reports - Each of the regions conducted an initial workshop to introduce the assessment. Reports from those workshops are complete: Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use on the Southwestern U.S., World Wide Web workshop, July 7-25, 1997, maintained by Peter Schweitzer and Randy Schumann at http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/ Implications of Global Change in Alaska and the Bering Sea Region, Proceedings of a Workshop, Gunter Weller and Patricia Anderson, Editors, The Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, April 1998, 152 pp. Climate Variability and Change in the Southwest: Impacts, Information Needs, and Issues for Policymaking, Final report of the Southwest Regional Climate Change Symposium and Workshop, September 3-5, 1997, Robert Merideth, Diana Liverman, Roger Bales, and Mark Patterson, Editors, The University of Arizona, July 1998, 81 pp. Proceedings of the Rocky Mountains/Great Basin Regional Climate-Change Workshop, Convened by Frederic Wagner and Jill Baron, February 16-18, 1998, Salt Lake City, Utah, 151 pp. Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change to Water Resources of the United States, D. Briane Adams (Editor), American Water Resources Association, Herndon, Virginia, TPS-99-1, 1999, 424 pp. Assessing the Consequences of Climate Change for Alaska and the Bering Sea Region, Proceedings of a Workshop, University of Alaska Fairbanks, October 29-30, 1999, Gunter Weller and Patricia Anderson, editors, Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, November 1999, 94 pp. Final Reports - The Alaskan assessment final report is complete and available by writing to the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7740, Attn: Dr. Gunter Weller. With the exception of the Hawaii and Pacific Island Territories, which just began their assessment, the remaining regions and sector reports are in draft and are expected by late summer 2000. Current plans are to have drafts of the remaining reports posted for review through the U.S. Global Change Research Program National Assessment web site (http://www.nacc.usgcrp.gov). The Hawaii and Pacific Island Territories assessment should be completed by December 2000. As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2,000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This information is gathered in every State by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters, contribute to the sound conservation and the economic and physical development of the Nation's natural resources, and enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources. For more information on USGS Global Change
and related research: |
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