Workshop Announcement:
U.S. Climate Change Science Program: Planning Workshop for Scientists
and Stakeholders
Washington, D.C.
December 3-5, 2002
For more details including registration information, see:
http://www.climatescience.gov/events/workshop2002/default.htm
THE WORKSHOP
The United States Climate Change Science Program
(http://www.climatescience.gov) will hold a comprehensive Workshop on
the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, from December 3 to 5, 2002 in
Washington, DC to receive comments on a discussion draft version of its
Strategic Plan for climate change and global change studies. The U.S.
Climate Change Science Program incorporating the U.S. Global Change
Research Program (USGCRP) and the Climate Change Research Initiative
(CCRI) is jointly sponsored by 13 U.S. government agencies. The workshop
will review the USGCRP/CCRI plans with emphasis on the development of
short-term (2 to 5 years) products to support climate change policy and
resource management decision-making.
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990 initiated the USGCRP that
continues today as a major sponsor of global change research. In June
2001 President George W. Bush directed the USGCRP agencies to develop a
focused Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI) with the goal of
accelerating the USGCRP research activities in the next 2 to 5 years, to
assist in the development of public policy and natural resource
management tools related to climate change issues. When finalized, the
draft Strategic Plan reviewed during and after the Workshop will provide
the principal guidance for the U.S. global change and climate change
research programs during the next several years, subject to revisions as
appropriate to respond to newly developed information and decision
support tools.
PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP
The Workshop responds to the President's direction that the U.S. global
change and climate change science programs must be objective, sensitive
to uncertainties, and well documented for public debate. The U.S. global
change and climate change research programs must consistently meet the
highest standards of credibility, transparency, and responsiveness to
the scientific community, as well as to all interested user groups, and
our international partners. To assure the continued scientific
credibility of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, the Workshop
will provide a comprehensive review of the discussion draft of the
Strategic Plan. The Workshop discussions, supplemented by written
comments submitted during a 30-day post-Workshop period, will be
reflected in the final Strategic Plan.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
-Members of the scientific community interested in reviewing and
commenting on the plans and expected deliverables of the USGCRP/CCRI
research program
-Members of the climate stakeholder and resource management communities
interested in commenting on the planned application of the USGCRP/CCRI
scientific, economic, and energy system information to policy and
resource management decisions
-Members of the international climate change community interested in
reviewing and discussing the updated U.S. research and decision support
plans
WORKSHOP TOPICS
The workshop will include a plenary session each day, as well as the
following breakouts:
Observations, Monitoring, and Data Management
Scenario Development and Evaluation
Climate Models: Implementation and Application
Decision Support Tool Development
Atmospheric Composition
Carbon Cycle
Water Cycle
Climate Variability and Change
Ecosystem Interactions: Forcing and Feedbacks
Human Contributions and Responses to Climate Change
Land Use/Land Cover Change
International Scientific Collaboration
Public Communication of Information and Findings
Registration and logistical information is available at the website:
http://www.climatescience.gov/
For questions about workshop objectives and presentations contact:
James R. Mahoney
Ph.D. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and
Director, U.S. Climate Change Science Program
Email: workshop [at] climatescience.gov