Climate change: "coastal environments are being impacted the most"

This week is Climate Week:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Climate Week > focussing on food

And as ever, there are lots of stories in the press around the issues, including the latest science coming out of the United States: 

New Climate Report Forthcoming, Despite Trump’s Climate Change Views 

Patrick Hendry

15 March 2018

IN BRIEF

A new climate assessment is coming from the U.S. Global Change Research Program. According to a peer review, it strongly supports the existence of climate change and will definitely contradict President Trump's own beliefs.

On March 12, the U.S. National Academies, an independent organization that produces a vast number of reports on the world of science, medicine, and engineering, released their review of the draft of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). The assessment, produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), evaluates the ongoing progress of climate change and its impact on the United States.

The National Academies review committee concluded that the new climate report provides an accurate description of climate change and its lasting effects.

The NC4A draft builds on evidence put forward by 2017’s Climate Science Special Report, which stated that “it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.”

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The National Climate Assessment Explained in Less than 3 Minutes - YouTube

The Washington Post reports that the NCA4 draft makes it clear that coastal environments are being impacted the most. This builds off previous studies that have emphasized the threats such areas face if the 1.5 degree Celsius climate goal isn’t met.

“As the pace of coastal flooding and erosion accelerates, climate impacts along our coasts are exacerbating preexisting social inequities as communities face difficult questions on determining who will pay for current impacts and future adaptation strategies and if, how, or when to relocate vulnerable communities,” the report reads.

Scientists working on NCA4 were initially worried the Trump administration would intervene or prevent this climate report from being released, as it contradicts the president’s stance on climate change — a stance that ultimately led to the U.S.’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. However, the draft was released as intended.

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Donald Trump Believes Climate Change Is A Hoax | All In | MSNBC - YouTube

There’s still more work to be done before the report’s full release later this year. The review committee suggests improving how the report conveys key information in order to appeal to a broader audience, as well as highlighting advances made since the last climate assessment was published.


“There’s a tremendous interest and demand for updated information and also examples of how various communities are approaching climate issues,” Daniel Cayan, a professor at the University of California at San Diego and a member of the review committee, told The Washington Post. “So, I believe that there’s a community of consumers that really are depending on the National Climate Assessment, and I would be very surprised if it does not continue and it is not sustained.”

References: U.S. National Academies

New Climate Report Forthcoming, Despite Trump's Climate Change Views.

See also:
Fourth National Climate Assessment | GlobalChange.gov
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