Climate change programs in the United States

Learn more from the Center for Media and Democracy's research on climate change.

U.S. Climate Change Science Program

The Global Change Research Act of 1990 mandates the "development and periodic updating of a long-term national global change research plan coordinated through" the National Science and Technology Council. The Act was the "first comprehensive update of a strategic plan for U.S. global change and climate change research since the original plan for the U.S. Global Change Research Program [created as a Presidential Initiative], was adopted at the inception of the program in 1989," according to the July 2003 "Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program".

On June 11, 2001, President George W. Bush announced that the Bush administration would establish the U.S. Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI) "to study areas of uncertainty [about global climate change science] and identify priority areas where investments can make a difference.' The Secretary of Commerce, working with other agencies, was directed to 'set priorities for additional investments in climate change research, review such investments, and to improve coordination amongst Federal agencies.'"

In 2002, President Bush established the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) as "part of a new cabinet-level management structure to oversee public investments in climate change science and technology. The new management structure also include[d] the Climate Change Technology Program, which is responsible for accelerating climate-related technology research and development. The CCSP incorporates the U.S. Global Change Research Program, established by the Global Change Research Act, and the Climate Change Research Initiative, established by the President in 2001. The Program coordinates and integrates scientific research on global change and climate change sponsored by 13 participating departments and agencies of the U.S. Government." [1]

The CCSP is under the direction of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and "reports through the Interagency Working Group on Climate Change Science and Technology to the cabinet-level Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration. The chairmanship of these coordinating bodies rotates annually between the Departments of Commerce and Energy, with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy serving as the Executive Director of the cabinet-level committee." [2]

Controversy

Rick Piltz, the former Senior Associate with the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Office, "a government scientist for 14 years", resigned March 2, 2005, "over concerns that scientific documents were being amended for political reasons. Evidence released by Piltz was reported in the NY Times on June 8. Philip Cooney, the White House official accused of editing the reports, resigned June 10." [3]

On October 3, 2006, "the Greenwire daily news report on environmental and energy policy featured in its #1 position a story on the continuing controversy over the administration’s decision to kill the National Assessment of Climate Change Impacts process and suppress official use of the first National Assessment reports issued in 2000-2001. The article quotes Climate Science Watch Director Rick Piltz as calling this 'the central climate science scandal of the Bush administration.'"—Climate Science Watch Blog, October 4, 2006.

Contact Information (US)

US Climate Change Science Program
Suite 250, 1717 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202 223-6262
FAX: 202 223-3065
Email: information AT climatescience.gov
Website: http://www.climatescience.gov

Documents, Publications & Reports

• U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990, Public Law 101-606(11/16/90) 104 Stat. 3096-3104, U.S. Global Change Research Information Office, approved November 16, 1990 (updated February 6, 2004).
• "National Assessment," NASA, Last updated September 30, 1998.
• "RL30522: Global Climate Change: A Survey of Scientific Research and Policy Reports" prepared by Wayne A. Morrissey, Science and Technology Information Analyst, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, Congressional Research Service, April 13, 2000.
• Michael C. MacCracken, "National Assessment of the Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the United States," Office of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, February 2001 (Prepared for 2002 Yearbook of Science and Technology to be published in September 2001 by McGraw-Hill.)
• "The U.S. Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI): Survey of Research Strategies to Reduce Scientific Uncertainties," Presented By Donald L. Evans, Secretary, Department of Commerce, at the Request of President George W. Bush, August 2001 (40-page pdf).
• "Predicting El Niño and Other Climate Variations. Successes & Remaining Challenges," Prepared by Richard M. Todaro and David M. Legler, Office of the US Climate Variability and Predictability Program (CLIVAR), June 20, 2002; Updated October 12, 2003.
• Review DRAFT: Foreword from the Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program By the agencies and staff of the US Climate Change Science Program, November 11, 2002.
• Review DRAFT: Overview of the Climate Change Research Initiative from the Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program By the agencies and staff of the US Climate Change Science Program, November 11, 2002.
• Review DRAFT: Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program By the agencies and staff of the US Climate Change Science Program, November 19, 2002 (177-page pdf).
• List of Reviewers. Written Public Comments on the Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. Comments Submitted November 11, 2002 through January 18, 2003; Collation dated January 21, 2003, plus Appendix I: Supplemental Submission from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Supplemental Submission from the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
• "Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program." A Report by the Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, disseminated through the U.S. Department of Commerce, July 2003 (211-page pdf).
• "The U.S. Climate Change Science Program. Vision for the Program and Highlights of the Scientific Strategic Plan." A Report by the Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, posted July 24, 2003 (41-page report also available as pdf).
• Fact Sheet: "Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Accelerated Research on Global Climate Observations," U.S. Climate Change Science Program, October 11, 2003.
• "Overview of U.S. Research on Climate and Global Change," U.S. Climate Change Science Program, October 11, 2003.
• "Implementing Climate and Global Change Research: A Review of the Final U.S. Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan," Committee to Review the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan, National Research Council, 2004. (Full text is available free online.)
• Report to Congressional Requesters: "Federal Reports on Climate Change Funding Should Be Clearer and More Complete," Government Accountability Office, August 2005 (52-page pdf).
• "Our Changing Planet. The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Year 2006." A Report by the Climate Change Science Program and The Subcommittee on Global Change Research. A Supplement to the President's Fiscal Year 2006 Budget, Updated November 9, 2005.
• "U.S. Climate Change Science Program. Overview of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program," January 14, 2006.
• Fact Sheet: "U.S. Climate Change Science Program. Overview of the CCSP Strategic Plan," Updated January 26, 2006.
• Info Sheet: "U.S. Climate Change Science Program. CCSP Annual Report to Congress: Our Changing Planet," January 2006; Updated July 2006.

Legislation

• S.169: Global Change Research Act of 1990: "A bill to amend the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 in order to provide for improved coordination of national scientific research efforts and to provide for a national plan to improve scientific understanding of the Earth system and the effect of changes in that system on climate and human well-being"; sponsored by Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, Introduced January 25, 1989, into the U.S. Senate with 26 cosponsors. On November 16, 1990, became Public Law No: 101-606. Narrative.
• Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Global Climate Change), 42 U.S.C. §§ 13381-13388, October 24, 1992, as amended 1996.

Related SourceWatch Resources

• Political interference in scientific research (U.S.)

External links

U.S. Government Websites

• "Assessing the Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on the Nation's Resources," U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey (Last updated March 15, 2006).
• Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting, U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Global Climate Change: Related Links, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Global Change, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Great Lakes Regional Climate Change Assessment.
• Northern Global Change Research Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
• Research Directions: Multi-Year Plans, Environmental Protection Agency (Last updated October 2, 2006).
• Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division Road Map, STAR - Center for Satellite Applications and Research, NOAA Satellite and Information Service.
• U.S. Climate Change Techonology Program website.
• U.S. Geological Survey "Contributions to Climate Change Science."

U.S. Government News/Press Releases

• "Great Lakes Regional Assessment Report Released," U.S. Global Change Research Program, November 30, 2000.
• News Release: "Global Climate Change Policy Book," White House, February 2002.
• News Release: "President Announces Clear Skies & Global Climate Change Initiatives," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, February 14, 2002.
• Press Release: "Bush Administration Launches Historic Federal Climate Change Initiatives. Advances Understanding of Climate Variability, Potential Responses and Options," U.S. Climate Change Science Program, July 24, 2003.
• "The Development of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program," Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr. (Retired), Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans & Atmosphere, NOAA Administrator, Remarks to the World Climate Change Conference, Moscow, Russia, September 30, 2003.
• News Release: "U.S. Climate Change Science Program Releases Our Changing Planet: The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005," NOAA Public Affairs, August 25, 2004.
• "U.S. Program Releases Annual Survey on Climate Science. Report reflects scientific efforts to allow response to climate change," Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, November 10, 2005.

Background: Non-Government Reports

• Eileen Shea, "The Proposed National Global Change Assessment Process: Challenges and Opportunities," National Assessment Background Paper, Revised June 13, 1997 ("provided as background for discussion of the proposed National Global Change Assessment Process during the GEA 1997 Workshop").
• "The Development of the U.S. Global Change Research Program: 1987 to 1994." A Policy Case Study Prepared for the 2001 American Meteorological Society Policy Symposium, Washington, DC, June 3-12, 2001 (121-page pdf).

Articles & Commentary

• "Impacts of Climate Change in the United States. National Assessment Process," climatehotmap.org, 2000.
• Andrew C. Revkin, "Scientists Dispute Bush's Inaction in Favor of More Research. Can Global Warming Be Studied Too Much?" New York Times (The Heat Is Online), December 3, 2002.
• Andrew C. Revkin, "NRC Faults Bush Research Agenda. Experts Fault Bush Plan to Study Climate," New York Times (The Heat Is Online), February 25, 2003.
• Andrew C. Revkin and Katherine Q. Seelye, "EPA Drops Reference to Dangers of Climate Change. Report by the E.P.A. Leaves Out Data on Climate Change," New York Times (The Heat Is Online), June 19, 2003.
• Rick Piltz, "Piltz Memo Details Administration Tampering With Science," The Heat Is Online, 2005.
• "Congress Cuts Funds for Climate Research Stations. NOAA Loses Funding to Gather Long-Term Climate Data," Science Magazine (The Heat Is Online), January 14, 2005.
• Science and Health: "The Political Climate," PBS NOW, April 22, 2005.
• "NASA shelves climate satellites. Environmental science may suffer," Boston Globe (The Heat Is Online), June 9, 2006.
• Andrew C. Revkin, "NASA Drops Climate Monitoring from Its Mission Statement. NASA's Goals Delete Mention of Home Planet," New York Times (The Heat Is Online), July 22, 2006.
• "Sen. Kerry calls for new National Climate Change Assessment," Climate Science Watch Blog, August 28, 2006; Letter dated August 21, 2006, from Sen. John Kerry to CCSP.
• "The unfinished business of the National Climate Change Assessment scandal," Climate Science Watch Blog, October 4, 2006.
• "The 'Vanishing' National Climate Change Assessment, Part 1: The Administration," Climate Science Watch Blog, October 8, 2006.