Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science (ACCCNRS) | National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center

The Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science (ACCCNRS) advises the Secretary of the Interior on the operations of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate Science Centers (CSCs). The committee's membership and procedures are compliant with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

ACCCNRS is composed of 25 members that represent (1) State and local governments, including state membership entities; (2) Nongovernmental organizations, including those whose primary mission is professional and scientific and those whose primary mission is conservation and related scientific and advocacy activities; (3) American Indian tribes and other Native American entities; (4) Academia; (5) Landowners, businesses, and organizations representing landowners or businesses. Committee Member List >>

In 2015, ACCCNRS released its 2015 Report to the Secretary of the Interior. The report recognizes USGS and DOI for achieving significant accomplishments with the Climate Science Center program and provides several recommendations to clarify, focus, and enhance the program's efforts. This report includes an Actionable Science How-To Guide for Scientists, Managers and Funders & executive summaries of a Guidebook for Traditional Knowledges, and a Primer for Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

Duties of the committee include:

(A) Advising on the contents of a national strategy identifying key science priorities to advance the management of natural resources in the face of climate change;

(B) Advising on the nature, extent, and quality of relations with and engagement of key partners at the regional/CSC level;

(C) Advising on the nature and effectiveness of mechanisms to ensure the identification of key priorities from management partners and to effectively deliver scientific results in useful forms;

(D) Advising on mechanisms that may be employed by the NCCWSC to ensure high standards of scientific quality and integrity in its products, and to review and evaluate the performance of individual CSCs, in advance of opportunities to re-establish expiring agreements; and

(E) Coordinating as appropriate with any Federal Advisory Committee established for the DOI Landscape Conservation Cooperatives.

For more information about the Committe, please explore:

ACCCNRS Charter >>

ACCCNRS Operating Procedures and Ground Rules >>

ACCCNRS and Actionable Science >>

Meeting Information

Next ACCCNRS Meeting: TBA

All Committee meetings are open to the public. Interested members of the public may present, either orally or through written comments, information for the Committee to consider during the public meeting. Written comments can be submitted to nccwsc@usgs.gov.

Materials for Meeting 7 (November 9-10, 2016):

Summary Report for ACCCNRS Meeting 7 (November 2016)

Meeting Overview Slides

Presentation to Committee: AFWA Climate Adaptation Surveys

Presentation to Committee: Southwest CSC Overview

Presentation to Committee: Southwest CSC Information

Presentation to Committee: Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions

Presentation to Committee: Evaluating Actionable Science

Presentation to Committee: Ethical Responsibilities of ACCCNRS Members

Presentation to Committee: Strategic Planning Update

Presentation to Committee: Allocation of CSC Resources

Materials for Meeting 6 (April 19-20, 2016):