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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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CHARACTERIZING RISK IN CLIMATE
CHANGE ASSESSMENTS

Proceedings of a Workshop

Alexandra Beatty, Rapporteur

Board on Environmental Change and Society
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education

Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate
Division on Earth and Life Studies

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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This activity was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under award number NNH14CK78B (formerly NNH13CI84B). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-44551-1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-44551-5
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/23569

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
×

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
×

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE WORKSHOP ON METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING RISK IN CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENTS

JOSEPH ARVAI (Chair), School of Natural Resources and Environment and Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

KRISTIE L. EBI, Department of Global Health, University of Washington

BARUCH FISCHHOFF, Department of Social and Decision Sciences and Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University

PETER GLEICK, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security, Oakland, CA

ANDREW HOFFMAN, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

RICHARD H. MOSS, Joint Global Change Research Institute, College Park, MD

CLAUDIA TEBALDI, Climate and Global Dynamics, Climate Change Research Section, National Center for Atmospheric Research

CHRISTOPHER WEAVER, Office of Research and Development/National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ROBYN S. WILSON, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University

PAUL C. STERN, Study Director

ALEXANDRA BEATTY, Rapporteur

MARY GHITELMAN, Program Assistant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
×

BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND SOCIETY 2016

RICHARD H. MOSS (Chair), Joint Global Change Research Institute, College Park, MD

JOSEPH ARVAI, School of Natural Resources and Environment and Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

ANTHONY J. BEBBINGTON, Graduate School of Geography, Clark University

WILLIAM U. CHANDLER, Transition Energy, Annapolis, MD

F. STUART CHAPIN, III, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska–Fairbanks

RUTH DEFRIES, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University

HALLIE C. EAKIN, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

RICHARD NEWELL, Nicholas School of Environment and Duke University Energy Initiative, Duke University

JONATHAN OVERPECK, Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona

STEPHEN POLASKY, Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota

J. TIMMONS ROBERTS, Department of Sociology and Environmental Studies, Brown University

MAXINE L. SAVITZ, Technology/Partnership Honeywell Inc. (retired)

ROBYN S. WILSON, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University

MARY ELLEN O’CONNELL, Interim Board Director

PAUL C. STERN, Scholar

JENNIFER HEIMBERG, Senior Program Officer

HEATHER BREINER, Associate Program Officer

TINA M. LATIMER, Program Coordinator

MARY GHITELMAN, Program Assistant

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
×

Acknowledgments

This Proceedings of a Workshop has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published proceedings as sound as possible and to ensure that the proceedings meets institutional standards for clarity, objectivity, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this proceedings: Paul Fleming, Climate Resiliency Group, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle, Washington; Robert J. Lempert, Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California; and Chris Weaver, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they did not see the final draft of the proceedings before its release. The review of this proceedings was overseen by Cynthia M. Beall, Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University. Appointed by the Academies, she was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this proceedings was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this Proceedings of a Workshop rests entirely with the rapporteur and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23569.
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The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) was established in 1990 to "assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change."1 A key responsibility for the program is to conduct National Climate Assessments (NCAs) every 4 years.2 These assessments are intended to inform the nation about "observed changes in climate, the current status of the climate, and anticipated trends for the future." The USGCRP hopes that government entities from federal agencies to small municipalities, citizens, communities, and businesses will rely on these assessments of climate- related risks for planning and decision-making. The third NCA (NCA3) was published in 2014 and work on the fourth is beginning.

The USGCRP asked the Board on Environmental Change and Society of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a workshop to explore ways to frame the NCA4 and subsequent NCA reports in terms of risks to society. The workshop was intended to collect experienced views on how to characterize and communicate information about climate-related hazards, risks, and opportunities that will support decision makers in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce vulnerability to likely changes in climate, and increase resilience to those changes. Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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