Review of the National Climate Assessment 2013 Report and
Advice Regarding the Sustained Assessment Process
[note: the dates indicated below have now shifted]
A Panel of the NRC “Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program” (USGCRP) will conduct an independent review of the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s 2013 NCA report in three phases, as described below. Advice regarding the NCA’s approach to developing a sustained assessment process is welcomed throughout this review process.
Phase I: Discussion of the preliminary key messages of the 2013 NCA report.
In a meeting involving USGCRP/NCA officials and lead authors, the Panel will hear about the preliminary key messages emerging from the NCA process and will discuss: critical concerns about the accuracy of those messages; any major issues that may have been omitted from the key messages and should be considered for inclusion in the NCA report. This will be considered in light of the fact that there is a limit to how many issues can be considered “key” in this synthesis report, and that in a sustained assessment process, there will be opportunities to address existing knowledge gaps in future interim/full synthesis reports. This discussion will held at the end of July, 2012; the only product of this effort will be a meeting recap based on NRC staff notes.
Phase II: Full Review of the draft NCA Report
The Panel will provide a written evaluation of the full draft of the 2013 NCA report and the associated supporting background material that justifies the key messages. The committee will aim to deliver this review within 90 days of receipt of the draft 2013 NCA Report, which is expected to be delivered before December 1, 2012. The review will address the following questions about the draft report:
• Does the report meet the requirements of Section 106 of the GCRA?
• Is the report responsive to the nation’s needs for information on climate variability and change in a global change context, their potential implications, and the potential effects of different response options?
• Are the report’s key messages and graphics clear and appropriate from a communications perspective?
• Are there any critical content areas missing from the report?
• Are the findings documented in a consistent, transparent and credible way?
• Does the research needs chapter address the most important gaps in existing knowledge?
• Does the sustained assessment chapter provide an appropriate path to support the development of a sustained assessment process within USGCRP that engages regional and sectoral communities of interest?
Phase III: Discussion of the Revised Draft NCA Report
Within one month of receiving a revised draft of the 2013 NCA report and associated supporting background materials, the Panel will have a meeting to discuss the draft with USGCRP/NCA officials and lead authors, to discuss the adequacy of the changes made in response to the Panel’s earlier written review and to other comments from the general public. It is anticipated that this meeting will occur in May, 2013.
