[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 133 (Friday, July 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41567-41569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14904]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Request for Comment on the Draft Prospectus of the Fifth National 
Climate Assessment

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office 
of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Department of Commerce 
(DOC).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment on the Fifth National 
Climate Assessment.

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SUMMARY: With this notice, the U.S. Global Change Research Program 
(USGCRP) seeks public comment on the proposed themes and framework of 
the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) as indicated by the draft 
prospectus presented here. Based on input received from this notice, 
USGCRP will develop an annotated outline, which will be released for 
public comment at a later date. A call for author nominations and 
technical inputs will also be posted in one or more subsequent Federal 
Register Notices. In addition to the proposed themes and framework, 
this Federal Register Notice requests public comment on ways to make 
the assessment information accessible and useful to multiple audiences; 
specific types of detailed information on regional scales that would be 
most useful to stakeholders; how to best

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describe risks and impacts, as well as potential opportunities to 
reduce those risks and impacts on sectors of the economy and natural 
and social systems; new approaches to topics addressed in previous 
assessments; overarching themes that NCA5 should consider addressing; 
and other relevant topics.

DATES: Comments must be submitted to the web address specified below 
and received by August 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments from the public will be accepted electronically via 
http://www.globalchange.gov/notices. Instructions for submitting 
comments are available on the website. Submitters may enter text or 
upload files in response to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Avery, (202) 419-3474, 
[email protected], U.S. Global Change Research Program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USGCRP is mandated under the Global Change 
Research Act (GCRA) of 1990 to conduct a quadrennial National Climate 
Assessment (NCA). The most recent, NCA4, was completed in 2018 and 
delivered in two volumes: The Climate Science Special Report (CSSR, 
science2017.globalchange.gov) and Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the 
United States (NCA4, nca2018.globalchange.gov).
    In addition to the two volumes of NCA4, other recent assessments by 
the U.S. Government will inform NCA5, including the Second State of the 
Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2, carbon2018.globalchange.gov); the Impacts 
of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States 
(health2016.globalchange.gov); and Climate Change, Global Food 
Security, and the U.S. Food System (www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/FoodSecurity.htm).
    NCA5 development will be transparent and inclusive, offering 
opportunities for public participation throughout the process. The 
production and review processes are designed to result in a report that 
is authoritative, timely, relevant, and policy-neutral; valued by 
authors and users; accessible to the widest possible audience; and 
fully compliant with the GCRA.
    Background information, additional details, and instructions for 
submitting comments can be found at http://www.globalchange.gov/notices. Responses to this Request for Comment can be entered via this 
website.

    Note:  The following is intended to be a high-level description 
of the proposed themes and framework of NCA5. Subsequent Federal 
Register Notices will provide additional details on the structure 
and content of the report and opportunities for the public to review 
and give feedback on the same.

Overarching Themes for NCA5

    NCA5 will be GCRA compliant and will include a number of 
overarching themes and perspectives that respond to needs and gaps 
identified by NCA4. The following is a list of proposed themes for 
NCA5:
    [cir] Identification of advancements or improvements, relative to 
NCA4, in scientific understanding of human-induced and natural 
processes of global change and the resulting implications for the 
United States.
    [cir] Identification of vulnerable populations for climate-related 
risks and potential impacts, a theme highlighted in multiple previous 
assessments.
    [cir] Characterization of scientific uncertainties associated with 
key findings.
    [cir] Characterization of current and future risks associated with 
global change with quantifiable metrics, such as indicators, where 
possible, and with the needs of multiple audiences in mind.
    [cir] Emphasis on (1) near-term trends and projections that can 
inform adaptation needs; (2) long-term projections that are more 
scenario dependent; and (3) in some cases, timeframes past 2100, to be 
consistent with the GCRA and to indicate anticipated legacy effects of 
the human influence on the climate and oceans.
    We seek comments on these proposed overarching themes, as well as 
suggestions for potential additional overarching themes.

Proposed Framework for NCA5

    What follows is a proposed high-level framework intended to guide 
the scope and content for NCA5. Public comments are sought on all 
aspects of this proposed framework. The proposed framework is presented 
here in five parts: (1) Introduction and context for NCA5; (2) 
foundational physical and biological science; (3) human health and 
welfare, societal, and environmental areas that are vulnerable to a 
changing climate; (4) regional and, where possible, sub-regional 
analyses within the United States; and (5) information needed to inform 
climate change adaptation, increased resiliency, and risk reduction.
    This framework presents the anticipated scope and content of NCA5; 
it is not an indicator of the final structure of the report.

1. Introduction and Context for NCA5

    This content will describe the following:
    [cir] Context for NCA5 as noted above, including the NCA's 
relationship to complementary domestic and international assessment 
efforts.
    [cir] Advancements in science since NCA4, and discussion of the 
scientific confidence and uncertainty associated with these findings, 
as well as any new approaches or differences in scope relative to NCA4. 
This information will include any special assessments completed or in 
progress post-NCA4, in particular those under the auspices of USGCRP.
    [cir] Changing global and national conditions that influence (1) 
drivers of climate change, namely the activities that lead to emissions 
and atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gas concentrations; and (2) 
factors that affect resiliency and vulnerability, such as demographic 
and land-use changes, behavioral changes, advances in technology, and 
economic development.
    [cir] The geographic scope (see Part 4) and the temporal scope 
(i.e., historic to the next 25 to 100 years).
    [cir] Risks to interconnected natural, built, and social systems, 
which are increasingly vulnerable to cascading impacts of global change 
that are often difficult to predict. For example, extreme weather and 
climate-related impacts on one system can result in increased risks or 
failures in other critical systems, including water resources, food 
production and distribution, energy and transportation, and 
international trade. However, with proper design and implementation, 
increased connectivity may have salutary impacts on resiliency to, 
response to, and recovery from extreme weather and climate-related 
impacts.
    [cir] Terms and their definitions used to describe confidence and 
uncertainty levels associated with key statements and findings (and 
accompanying traceable accounts), which may be similar to those used in 
NCA4.
    We seek public comment on the proposed introductory and contextual 
material described above for NCA5.

2. Foundational Physical and Biological Science

    NCA5 will assess the state of scientific evidence regarding the 
physical and biological drivers of global change, with an emphasis on 
advances in knowledge since NCA4. This section will include the 
following:
    [cir] Observations of changes in climate-related phenomena such as 
atmospheric composition, radiative forcing,

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temperature, precipitation, climate variability, large-scale climate 
modes (e.g., El Ni[ntilde]o events), drought, floods and associated 
hydrologic events (e.g., streamflow, snowpack), sea-level rise and 
other physical ocean changes, biogeochemistry of land and marine 
systems, ocean acidification, extreme storms (e.g., hurricanes), 
atmospheric rivers, polar changes (including permafrost and land-ice 
dynamics), ice-sheet dynamics, and attribution of physical and 
biophysical processes to human activities. Where appropriate, 
descriptions of observed changes specific to the United States at 
national and subnational scales.
    [cir] Future projections of changes in Earth system processes based 
on modeling results of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 
(CMIP). Treatment of future scenarios, and associated risks and impacts 
as described below, will emphasize the most recent literature (i.e., 
CMIP6), with CMIP5 and other future scenarios included as determined by 
the available literature.
    We seek public comment on the proposed physical and biological 
science framing described above for NCA5.

3. Human Health and Welfare, Societal, and Environmental 
Vulnerabilities to a Changing Climate

    The GCRA of 1990 requires that the NCA analyze ``the effects of 
global change on the natural environment, agriculture, energy 
production and use, land and water resources, transportation, human 
health and welfare, human social systems, and biological diversity.'' 
NCA5 will provide national-level overviews of observed and potential 
effects and projected trends under a range of emissions scenarios in 
these key areas of concern for people and the environment, with 
supporting regional information, as described under Part 4.
    To better understand global change, non-climatic trends (e.g., 
population changes) will be briefly discussed in order to set a broader 
context within which the effects of climate change can be understood. 
Current and future risks, impacts, (including differential impacts), 
and benefits will be identified in each of these topic areas, using 
quantifiable metrics, such as indicators, where possible. The impact of 
extreme events in each area will be addressed where possible. In 
addition, potential adaptive measures to minimize risks will be 
described for each area, to the extent these are identified in the 
published literature.
    In addition to coverage of these mandated topics, the following 
additional specific areas are proposed for inclusion in NCA5: Land 
cover and land use change; forests; ecosystems and ecosystem services; 
coasts; oceans and marine resources; built environment; urban systems; 
air quality; effects on tribal and indigenous communities; economics; 
and international effects, in particular those that may raise 
environmental, humanitarian, trade, or security issues for the United 
States.
    We seek public comment on the proposed areas of focus for NCA5 as 
described above and welcome input on other topics that should be 
considered for inclusion.

4. Regional Analyses Within the United States

    This section will describe regional-level perspectives for each of 
the areas identified in Part 3, allowing for discussion of topics of 
interest to each region.
    The proposed regional analyses for NCA5 will follow the model 
developed for NCA4, which included the following regions of the United 
States: Northeast, Southeast, U.S. Caribbean, Midwest, Northern Great 
Plains, Southern Great Plains, Northwest, Southwest, Alaska, and 
Hawai'i and U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (see 
nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/front-matter-guide/#fig-1). Areas of 
focus will vary across regions based on the availability of research 
and the regional identification of needs.
    As appropriate and where available, the perspectives described in 
Part 4 will also highlight state-level information, as well as urban 
and rural case studies to showcase climate trends, potential risks, and 
resiliency planning with local specificity.
    We seek public comment on the proposed regional breakout for NCA5, 
the level of detail to be provided at regional scales, sectors or 
topics to focus on within particular regions, and overarching themes 
that should inform the regional analyses of NCA5.

5. Information Needed To Support Climate Change Adaptation, Increased 
Resiliency, and Risk Reduction

    Part 5 will identify needs and opportunities for adaptive measures 
and resiliency planning in the face of observed and projected changes 
in climate. NCA5 is not a policy document, and therefore will not 
evaluate policy measures, actions, instruments, or mechanisms to 
deliver or incentivize either adaptation or mitigation responses at any 
level of government. Rather, the intention of NCA5 is to inform the 
Nation, and different regions within the Nation, about near-term 
adaptation and resiliency needs over the next few decades that are 
likely to persist regardless of emissions pathway. Adaptation and 
resiliency needs and opportunities will be drawn from relevant 
information from Parts 2, 3, and 4 as outlined above, including 
evidence of successful measures, and discussed in the context of 
literature described below.
    Review of the following is proposed for inclusion in Part 5:
    [cir] Recent literature on economic impacts across sectors, 
regions, and levels of warming.
    [cir] Recent literature on the potential for greenhouse gas 
emissions mitigation through natural and technological solutions.
    [cir] Recent literature describing case studies (see Part 4), where 
relevant.
    Links to U.S. government decision-support tools (e.g., the U.S. 
Climate Resilience Toolkit, toolkit.climate.gov) will also be included 
here, where relevant.
    We seek public comment on the proposed framing of information 
needed to support climate change adaptation, increased resiliency, and 
risk reduction described above for NCA5.
    Finally, various appendices are planned to provide additional 
background, context, and detail on the inputs to NCA5. Topics currently 
planned for inclusion include report process details, legal mandates 
and requirements, tools and technical inputs, and frequently asked 
questions. Suggestions for other appendix topics are requested.
    We seek public comment on all aspects of the anticipated scope and 
content of this framework for NCA5, as described above.
    Responses: Response to this Request for Comment is voluntary. 
Respondents need not reply to all questions or topics. Responses may be 
used by the U.S. Government for program planning on a non-attribution 
basis. NOAA therefore requests that no business proprietary information 
or copyrighted information be submitted in response to this Request for 
Comment. Please note that the U.S. Government will not pay for response 
preparation, or for the use of any information contained in the 
response.

    Dated: July 7, 2020.
David Holst,
Director Chief Financial Officer/CAO, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-14904 Filed 7-9-20; 8:45 am]
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