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Project Title:
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America's Climate Choices: Panel on Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change
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PIN:
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BASC-U-08-04-B
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Major Unit:
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Division on Earth and Life Studies
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Sub Unit:
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Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate
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RSO:
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Geller, Laurie
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Subject/Focus Area:
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Project Scope
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In response to Public Law 110-161, the National Academies will conduct a series of coordinated activities to study the serious and sweeping issues associated with global climate change, including the science and technology challenges involved, and provide advice on the most effective steps and most promising strategies that can be taken to respond. This work will be led by a Committee on America's Climate Choices responsible for coordinating the work of four panels, convening a Summit, convening additional workshops or informal working groups to gather information and address cross-cutting issues, and writing a final report. Collectively, the activities will produce a broad, action-oriented, and authoritative set of analyses to inform and guide responses to climate change across the nation.
To provide detailed analysis of important technical issues, focused panels will be convened to address each of the following four questions:
1. What can be done to limit the magnitude of future climate change?
2. What can be done to adapt to the impacts of climate change?
3. What can be done to better understand climate change and its interactions with human and ecological systems?
4. What can be done to inform effective decisions and actions related to climate change?
This Panel on Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change will write a report on question 1. The panel will describe, analyze, and assess strategies for reducing the net future human influence on climate, including both technology and policy options (this is sometimes referred to as "mitigation of climate change"). The panel will focus on actions to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions and other human drivers of climate change, such as changes in land use, but will also consider the international dimensions of climate stabilization. The costs, benefits, limitations, tradeoffs, and uncertainties associated with different options and strategies should be assessed qualitatively and, to the extent practicable, quantitatively, using the scenarios of future climate change and vulnerability developed in coordination with the Committee on America's Climate Choices and the other panels. The panel will also keep abreast of the wide range of proposals currently being advanced by policymakers at a number of levels to limit the future magnitude of climate change, and strive to frame their recommendations in the context of these developments.
The panel should also provide input to the Committee on America's Climate Choices on the following integrating questions:
* What short-term actions can be taken to limit the magnitude of future climate change?
* What promising long-term strategies, investments, and opportunities could be pursued to limit the magnitude of future climate change?
* What are the major scientific and technological advances (e.g., new observations, improved models, research priorities, etc.) needed to limit the magnitude of future climate change?
* What are the major impediments (e.g., practical, institutional, economic, ethical, intergenerational, etc.) to limiting the magnitude of future climate change, and what can be done to overcome these impediments?
* What can be done to limit the magnitude of future climate change at different levels (e.g., local, state, regional, national, and in collaboration with the international community) and in different sectors (e.g., nongovernmental organizations, the business community, the research and academic communities, individuals and households, etc.)?
This project is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The approximate start date is October 1, 2008.
A final report will be issued at the end of the project.
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Project Duration:
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18 months
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Provide FEEDBACK on this project.
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Tel:
202.334.2000