The hardcopy version of Our Changing Planet is available free of charge from the GCRIO Online Catalog

Contact:
Kent Laborde
202-482-5757

For Immediate Release

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) yesterday released its annual report highlighting research on climate and global change. Our Changing Planet: The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Year 2006, is a report of recent research accomplishments and plans for future research necessary to manage the risks and opportunities related to changes in climate and associated environmental systems.  

It provides a summary of scientific progress as well as budgetary information in fulfillment of the annual reporting requirements of the U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990. Its release this year coincides with a workshop hosted by CCSP on Climate Science in Support of Decision Making, to be held Nov. 14-16 in Arlington, Va.

“Our Changing Planet is a snapshot of the research sponsored by U.S. federal agencies throughout the year,” said Dr. James Mahoney, director of CCSP. “It is an important synopsis of the efforts of the scientific community to better understand climate change and its effects.”

A principal function of Our Changing Planet is to report on the progress in implementing CCSP’s strategic plan. The strategic plan addresses the cross-cutting issues of modeling, observations, data management, communications, international cooperation, decision support and program management.

Our Changing Planet highlights recent research sponsored by the 13 federal agencies that participate in the CCSP, and describes research plans for Fiscal Year 2006. CCSP’s research addresses: atmospheric composition, climate variability and change, global water cycle, land-use and land-cover change, global carbon cycle, ecosystems , decision-support resources human contributions and responses, observations, communications and international cooperation.

CCSP incorporates the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), established under the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and the Climate Change Research Initiative, established by the President in 2001.

Our Changing Planet and more information on the November workshop are available online at www.climatescience.gov.