UF researchers contribute to National Climate Assessment draft report

January 14, 2013

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Climate Institute and the Southeast Climate Consortium, both with directors at the University of Florida, contributed to a National Climate Assessment draft report being released today by the federal government.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program’s report will be reviewed by scientists and experts from inside and outside the federal government, the National Academy of Sciences and the public.

The report analyzes the effects of global changes on the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and use, land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare, human social systems and biological diversity. It analyzes current trends in global changes, both human-induced and natural, and projects major trends for the next 25 to 100 years.

The report includes a chapter on the southeastern U.S. and key messages for the region. More information about the National Climate Assessment can be found online at http://assessment.globalchange.gov.

The FCI and the SECC played major leadership and writing roles in the assessment for southeastern states. UF associate scientist Keith Ingram, director of the SECC, was the lead author on the southeast technical report. FCI Director Jim Jones, a distinguished professor of agricultural and biological engineering with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, was the co-lead author on the southeast assessment chapter.

The public comment period continues through April 12. The draft report and the comment tool are available at http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/. The report will be revised in response to comments from the public and from the National Research Council.

The FCI is helping to plan and host a National Climate Assessment Southeast Regional Town Hall on Feb. 19 by one of the member universities of the FCI — the University of South Florida, Patel School of Global Sustainability in Tampa.

At the meeting, a summary of the SE Assessment Report will be presented. Ingram and Jones are on the program. About 150 participants are expected to attend, including a mixture of academics, policy makers and citizens.

For more information about this meeting, visit https://sites.google.com/a/usgcrp.gov/nca-southeast-regional-town-hall/. There is no charge to attend this meeting, but space is limited.

The FCI has branches in six universities: Florida Atlantic University, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Miami and University of South Florida.