Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change Demand for information to support climate-related decisions has grown rapidly as people, organizations, and governments have moved ahead with plans and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Today, however, the nation lacks comprehensive, robust, and credible information systems to inform climate choices and evaluate their effectiveness. This report examines information needs and recommends ways the federal government can better inform responses by enhancing climate change and greenhouse gas information and reporting systems and by improving climate communication and education. cross the nation, people, state, and local policies that businesses, organiza- has prompted many state and Ations, and governments business leaders to call for the are making decisions in development of a more predict- response to climate change. As able and coherent policy of June 2010, twenty-three environment at the federal states have established targets level. This report, part of the for reducing greenhouse gas congressionally requested emissions. A number of major America’s Climate Choices cities, including Los Angeles suite of studies, identifies the and New York, have also types of decisions that need to announced strong emission be made about climate change reduction plans. Private compa- and assesses the information nies are taking significant and reporting systems needed steps to reduce their carbon SOURCE: USDA, photo by Scott Bauer to both inform and evaluate footprints and pursue new responses. low-carbon markets. Citizens are making decisions about whether to make their homes Framework for Measuring Progress and transportation modes more energy effi- Although the many non-federal efforts to cient, and also whether to support climate and reduce emissions and/or adapt to future energy policies. climate changes carry considerable potential Similarly, plans to adapt to the impacts of to reduce risks related to climate change, there climate change are also underway. Municipal is currently no comprehensive way to assess managers and resource managers are among the effectiveness of those efforts. Even the those on the front lines, considering how a federal response is difficult to evaluate as range of potential climate impacts might affect there is no clear, accessible, and coordinated the resources, infrastructure, and people they roadmap on federal responsibilities and protect and manage. Alaskans face imminent policies. In addition, the number of agencies adaptation choices as some villages threatened beginning to respond to climate change has by sea-level rise and other consequences of expanded far beyond the core research func- climate change consider relocating. Industries tions of the U.S. Global Change Research that will be affected by climate change—for program to include agencies such as those example, insurance and agriculture—are with responsibility for infrastructure, security, assessing potential effects on operations, and housing. The federal government should supply chains, and products. learn from the different approaches to climate The diverse climate change responses to related decision-making used by other levels date have resulted in a patchwork of regional, of government and the private sector, and avoid unnecessarily preempting effective measures revised in light of new information and experience; already taken. information and reporting systems allow for ongoing To provide a policy framework that promotes evaluation of responses to climate risks. The report effective responses at all levels of American recommends that decision makers implement an society, the federal government should build on its iterative risk management strategy to manage existing efforts and establish clear federal leader- climate decisions. Federal agencies should review ship, responsibility, and coordination for climate and revise risk insurance programs; private firms related decisions, information systems, and should consider climate change risk disclosure. services. This could include aggregating and disseminating “best practices” through a web-based Systems and Services to Support clearinghouse, and creating ongoing assessments to Decision Making enable regular exchange of information. There is a growing demand for better informa- tion on climate change. Some of this demand is the Need for Adaptive Management result of new regulatory or reporting structures, such Because many climate-related decisions must as state and regional greenhouse gas trading schemes address and incorporate uncertainty and the expec- or EPA requirements. In addition, there is increasing tation of surprises, decision makers need to assess concern that climate change may already be affecting the level of acceptable risk, much as they do with local water resources, ecosystems, and health. other personal or business decisions, such as saving To meet this demand, good information systems for retirement, buying insurance, investing in and services are needed. Without such systems, infrastructure, or launching new products. Most decision makers cannot evaluate whether particular people recognize the need to act despite uncertainty. policies and actions are achieving their goals or Decision makers can benefit from a systematic and should be modified. Unfortunately, dissemination of iterative framework for responding to climate climate information is often inadequate. This report change, in which decisions and policies can be emphasizes that information should be tailored to user needs, provided at space and timescales to support decision-making, communicated clearly, Box 1. Examples of Climate Information Needs and accompanied by decision support tools that Hydroelectric dam managers allow exploration of alternative pathways. • Impacts of climate change on traditional planning Climate Services parameters, for example, the “100-year flood” • Impacts of projected changes in temperature and Decision makers are now expecting and precipitation on local watersheds demanding up-to-date and reliable climate informa- tion to integrate into management decisions, such as Fisheries managers those listed in Box 1. Climate services should provide • Impacts of modest changes or shifts in climate conditions on fisheries resources and productivity the essential information on climate conditions, variability, and change needed for effective decision • Impacts of climate change in conjunction with other environmental stressors making. Various forms of climate services are already planned or provided by federal agencies, including U.S. Navy climate service and outreach programs at NOAA, • Ongoing and rapid changes in the Arctic region DOI and USDA, as well as information provided by • Higher spatial and temporal resolution of climate private consultants and state climatologists. information In order to meet National needs for state-of-the- Transportation managers art information on climate change, its impacts, and • Linkages between sea level rise and erosion, response options, a coordinated system of climate flooding, and damage to infrastructure, to support services is needed. Core elements of such a service 10 to 30 year planning efforts are outlined in Box 2. In the panel’s judgment, no Businesses single government agency or centralized unit can • Effects of climate change on risk disclosure; perform all the functions required; a system that product supply chain involves multiple agencies and regional expertise is Public Health Officials needed. Aligning the roles of federal agencies for successful climate services will require very clear • Long-term climate impacts on major disease vectors, air quality, and extreme weather forecasts. leadership at the highest level of government and ongoing evaluation. energy use. Those tools, coupled with incentives, can Box 2. Summary of Core Climate Service Functions foster changes in behavior. The federal government 1. A user-centered focus that responds to the decision should review and promote credible and easily making needs of government and other actors at understood standards and labels for energy effi- national, regional, and local scales; ciency and carbon/greenhouse gas information. 2. Research on user needs, response options, effective Information about the International Context information delivery mechanisms, and processes for sustained interaction with multiple stakeholders; The world is connected by the flow of goods, 3. Enhanced observations and analyses designed materials, food products, and more. Climate-related specifically to provide timely, credible, authoritative, information from other countries is essential to U.S. and regionally useful information on climate change climate choices for reasons that include: 1) the and vulnerability, and effectiveness of responses; economic and market couplings of the U.S. with the 4. Trustworthy and timely climate modeling to support rest of the world; 2) shared water and other natural federal decision making about limiting emissions resources; 3) disease spread and human health; 4) and adaptation; humanitarian relief efforts; and 5) human and 5. A central and accessible web portal of information national security. For example, many U.S. farmers’ that includes a system for sharing response strategies incomes are sensitive to climate impacts on export and access to decision support tools; markets. The federal government should support 6. Capacity building and training for linking knowledge the