Transcript SBSTA Research Dialogue: Perspectives from the United States June 2010, Bonn Key messages 1. Science is central to the climate challenge, both for understanding and for.

SBSTA Research Dialogue:
Perspectives from the United
States
June 2010, Bonn
Key messages
1.
Science is central to the climate challenge,
both for understanding and for response
2.
Climate science is changing. The new vision
and mission for integrated global change
research needs to focus on the challenges of
sustainability in a global context.
Key messages
3. We need to do a better job of using what we
know, and deploy science in support of
adaptation and mitigation:
 National Adaptation Strategy
 Climate Observing Systems and Services
 National Climate Assessment
 Adaptation Research
The USGCRP Mandate
“understand, assess, predict . . .”
 traditional USGCRP strengths: physical science basis

for climate change
National Climate Assessment process
 “. . . and respond . . . to global change”
 adaptation research and analysis
 mitigation – technology and analysis
 science for decision support (climate services)
 outreach, education, and engagement
Scientific basis for understanding climate
change and developing informed responses
 Reorganize around scientific-societal issues
 Establish a climate observing system
 Develop next generation coupled Earth system models
 Strengthen research on adaptation, mitigation, and
vulnerability
 Initiate national assessment process with broad stakeholder
participation
 Coordinate climate services to decision makers
A vision of the future: Three
coordinated elements
Climate Change
Mitigation
Climate Change
Adaptation
A collaborative national strategy
and program, in partnership with
state, local and non-governmental
partners
Reduce energy demand;
improve efficiency; expand
use of low and zero carbon
sources; carbon capture and
sequestration; accelerate
retirement of carbon intensive
infrastructure; create new
technology choices
Climate Change
Science
Flexible, comprehensive, integrated and
cross-cutting
• Comprehensive climate observing system
• Advanced models and tools
• Expanded capacity
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