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America's Climate Choices (2011)

Chapter: Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
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APPENDIX C

Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports

Advancing the Science of Climate Change (NRC, 2010a) provides an overview of current scientific understanding of climate change across a range of different areas of interest to decision makers, and recommends steps to advance current understanding. The report focuses on scientific research needed to continue improving understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change as well as the improving and expanding the options available to respond to climate change. It also discusses key attributes and themes for an effective climate change research enterprise, including the research programs, observations, models, human resources, and other activities and tools that are needed. Some report tables of particular relevance include examples of science/research needs related to the following areas:

Table 4.1 Improving fundamental understanding of climate forcings, feedbacks, responses, and thresholds in the earth system

Table 4.2 Human behavior, institutions, and interactions with the climate system

Table 4.3 Vulnerability and adaptation

Table 4.4 Limiting the magnitude of climate change

Table 4.5 Decision support in the context of climate change

Table 4.6 Observations and observing systems

Table 4.7 Improving projections, analyses, and assessments of climate change

Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change (NRC, 2010b)examines how the U.S. can best contribute to global efforts to limit the magnitude of future climate change—primarily through limiting emissions (and enhancing sinks) of GHGs. The report discusses the process of setting goals for U.S. emission reductions; the range of opportunities for limiting emissions from different sources and sectors; the policies needed to assure effective pursuit of “high-leverage” emission reduction opportuni-

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
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ties; the resources and policies needed to accelerate technological innovation; the intersection of climate change limiting policies with other issues of major public interest; strategies for integrating federal climate change limiting polices with actions at the local, state, and international levels; and the challenges of developing policies that are both durable over time and flexible enough to be adapted in response to new knowledge. Some report tables of particular relevance include the following.

Table 4.1 Specific policy instruments that can be used (in addition to, or in the absence of, a carbon pricing system) to drive CO2 emission reductions

Table 3.1 Emission reduction options for non-CO2 greenhouse gases

Table 5.1 Policy options to influence technology innovation

Table 5.6 Examples of policy impediments to expanding the use of clean energy technologies

Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change (NRC, 2010c)describes, analyzes, and assesses actions and strategies to reduce vulnerability, increase adaptive capacity, improve resiliency, and promote successful adaptation to climate change. The report discusses the complementary roles of federal adaptation efforts with grassroots-based, bottom-up actions and identifies the key research and information needs for promoting successful adaptation across a variety of sectors and covering a range of temporal and spatial scales. Some report tables of particular relevance include examples of specific options for facilitating adaptation (and identification of entities best poised to implement each option) for the following sectors:

Table 3.2 Ecosystems

Table 3.3 Agriculture and forestry

Table 3.4 Water

Table 3.5 Health

Table 3.6 Transportation

Table 3.7 Energy

Table 3.8 Oceans and coasts

Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change (NRC, 2010d)identifies the range of actors that are making decisions affecting our nation’s response to climate

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
×

change and reviews the different types of decision support tools that are available, or could be developed, to aid those decision makers, including assessments, databases, GHG accounting systems, and “climate services” institutions. It also reviews the different types of decision frameworks that could be used to craft responses to climate change and discusses ways to improve climate change communication through educational systems, the media, and direct engagement with the public. Some report tables of particular relevance include the following.

Table 2.5 Examples of federal departments and agencies that are affected by or involved in decisions about climate change

Table 5.1. Information needs provided by climate services

Table 6.2 Examples of existing GHG emission registries and informing principles

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Additional Information Regarding the Content of the ACC Panel Reports." National Research Council. 2011. America's Climate Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12781.
×
Page 112
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Climate change is occurring. It is very likely caused by the emission of greenhouse gases from human activities, and poses significant risks for a range of human and natural systems. And these emissions continue to increase, which will result in further change and greater risks.

America's Climate Choices makes the case that the environmental, economic, and humanitarian risks posed by climate change indicate a pressing need for substantial action now to limit the magnitude of climate change and to prepare for adapting to its impacts. Although there is some uncertainty about future risk, acting now will reduce the risks posed by climate change and the pressure to make larger, more rapid, and potentially more expensive reductions later. Most actions taken to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts are common sense investments that will offer protection against natural climate variations and extreme events. In addition, crucial investment decisions made now about equipment and infrastructure can "lock in" commitments to greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come. Finally, while it may be possible to scale back or reverse many responses to climate change, it is difficult or impossible to "undo" climate change, once manifested.

Current efforts of local, state, and private-sector actors are important, but not likely to yield progress comparable to what could be achieved with the addition of strong federal policies that establish coherent national goals and incentives, and that promote strong U.S. engagement in international-level response efforts. The inherent complexities and uncertainties of climate change are best met by applying an iterative risk management framework and making efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; prepare for adapting to impacts; invest in scientific research, technology development, and information systems; and facilitate engagement between scientific and technical experts and the many types of stakeholders making America's climate choices.

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