CIRES hosts National Climate Assessment Southwest workshop

Experts, including scientists from universities and federal agencies, from throughout the vast Southwest region convened this week at CIRES to begin writing the Southwest Region Technical Report for the National Climate Assessment (NCA).

The Global Change Research Act of 1990 requires NCA to report to Congress and the President on the status of climate change science and relevant impacts across the United States. This effort entails integrating current scientific research results and identifying gaps in both the understanding and knowledge of climate science, impacts and responses.

To develop the Southwest Region Technical Report for NCA, the CIRES Western Water Assessment (WWA) hosted a workshop on August 1-4, 2011 to bring together potential authors and establish an outline for the report.

“This is a unique opportunity to work with some of the best scientific minds in the region, many of whom are at CIRES,” WWA director Brad Udall said. “Our challenge is to synthesize a wealth of climate science and present it in a useful way to decision makers in the Southwest.”

The report is expected to be completed and available to the public by summer 2012.