[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 200 (Thursday, October 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65433-65435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22729]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[NOTICE: (20-082)]


Request for Public Nominations for Authors and Scientific/
Technical Inputs and Notice of Planned Public Engagement Opportunities 
for the Fifth National Climate Assessment

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Request for public nominations for authors and scientific/
technical inputs and notice of planned public engagement opportunities.

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SUMMARY: NASA, on behalf of the U.S. Global Change Research Program 
(USGCRP), is soliciting nominations for authors and scientific/
technical inputs for the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). 
Refer to the NCA5 Draft Prospectus (presented in a previous Federal 
Register Notice and accessible via www.globalchange.gov/notices) for 
further information on the scope, topics, and overarching themes for 
the report. This document also serves as a notice of planned public 
engagement opportunities. NCA5 will adhere to the Global Change 
Research Act (GCRA), Information Quality Act, and Evidence Act 
requirements for quality, transparency, and accessibility as 
appropriate for a Highly Influential Scientific Assessment.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted via the web address specified 
below and must be received by the close of this notice (30 days after 
publication). For best consideration, scientific/technical inputs 
should be submitted by the close of this notice but will be accepted on 
an ongoing basis throughout the planned 12-month initial report 
development process.

ADDRESSES: Nominations for authors must be submitted electronically 
using a web form accessible via https://www.globalchange.gov/notices. A 
short Curriculum Vitae (CV) of no more than four (4) pages must be 
included. Scientific/technical inputs should also be submitted 
electronically using a web form accessible via https://www.globalchange.gov/notices.
    Instructions: Response to this notice is voluntary. Responses to 
this notice may be used by the Government for program planning on a 
non-attribution basis. NASA therefore requests that no business 
proprietary information or copyrighted information be submitted in 
response to this notice. Please note that the U.S. Government will not 
pay for response preparation or for the use of any information 
contained in the response.

[[Page 65434]]


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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Global Change Research Act (GCRA) of 
1990 mandates that the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) 
deliver a National Climate Assessment (NCA) to Congress and the 
President not less frequently than every four years that ``(1) 
integrates, evaluates, and interprets the findings of the Program; (2) 
analyzes 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; and (3) analyzes current trends in global change, 
both human-induced and natural, and projects major trends for the 
subsequent 25 to 100 years.''
    To date, four NCAs have been released. The first NCA was published 
in 2000, and the second was published in 2009. The third NCA was 
published in 2014, and the most recent assessment, NCA4, was released 
in two volumes and completed in November 2018.
    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. In July 2020, comments were solicited 
through a 30-day request for information on the draft Fifth National 
Climate Assessment (NCA5) Prospectus (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/07/10/2020/14904/request-for-comment-on-the-draft-prospectus-of-the-fifth-national-climate-assessment). Comments received 
on the draft Prospectus informed the list of potential topics included 
in Section I of the current request.
    Author nominees may be invited to serve as Chapter Lead Authors, 
Authors, or Technical Contributors to NCA5. Both federal and non-
federal experts may serve as Chapter Lead Authors. Chapter Lead Authors 
will, with input and guidance from the Federal Steering Committee 
(FSC), establish author teams comprising federal and non-federal 
experts. A Federal Coordinating Lead Author selected by the FSC will 
serve as a liaison between the author team and federal agencies. For 
more information on author roles, see www.globalchange.gov/nca5.
    In addition, this request presents an opportunity to submit 
relevant scientific/technical inputs to inform the assessment. This 
request also outlines planned opportunities for the public to engage in 
the NCA5 development process.
    Additional details and instructions for submitting nominations for 
authors and scientific/technical inputs are available at 
www.globalchange.gov/notices. For the responsibilities and expectations 
of the different types of authors and contributors, please see 
www.globalchange.gov/nca5. For more information about the NCA and for 
access to previous NCA reports and activities, please see 
www.globalchange.gov/nca5.
    All participation in and contributions to the NCA will be without 
compensation and will be potentially included in the publicly released 
NCA. By voluntarily participating in the NCA, you acknowledge the 
following understandings:
    1. Participation in the NCA means facilitating the development of 
the NCA, contributing new work to the NCA, or contributing preexisting 
work for the NCA. Any such work will be incorporated into the NCA at 
the Federal Government's discretion, including the possibility of 
modification, without any compensation and without redaction under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or otherwise.
    2. All contributions to the NCA of text and original figures (those 
newly created for NCA and not previously published) will be released 
under the Creative Commons 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (CC0 
1.0). Such contributions will not be protected by copyright or other 
intellectual property rights. Data, algorithms/models, and software 
code used to create or support the creation of text and original 
figures will also be publicly released in connection with the NCA. In 
some cases, such data, algorithms/models, and software code may be 
subject to copyright restrictions prohibiting both their use for 
commercial purposes and the creation of derivative works, such as CC 
BY-NC-ND 4.0, but any such restrictions may not prohibit their use for 
the purpose of reproducing results.
    3. Participants assume any and all risks associated with 
participation in the NCA. By participating, participants inherently 
waive all claims against the Federal Government and its related 
entities, except for claims based on willful misconduct, for any 
injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits 
(whether direct, indirect, or consequential) arising from participation 
in the NCA.
    4. By participating, participants agree to indemnify the Federal 
Government in the event that it suffers liability or damages as a 
result of its use of the contribution.

I. Call for Nominations for Authors

    Nominations are sought for authors with pertinent subject matter 
expertise and background in the natural or social sciences. Nominees 
should be accomplished scholarly writers with a demonstrated history of 
scientific and technical expertise and academic proficiency in at least 
one of the regions/climate-related topics delineated below. Nominations 
are encouraged from all non-governmental sectors (academia, not-for-
profit, and private). Submissions must document that nominees have 
demonstrated technical backgrounds such that they could contribute to 
the development of a robust scientific and technical assessment as 
subject matter experts in one or more of the listed topics. In 
addition, individuals interested in being considered for chapter 
leadership positions should have experience with leading collaborative 
teams under deadlines. Authors volunteering to assist in writing NCA5 
are providing an important service to the United States. The Global 
Change Research Act of 1990 calls for the preparation of this 
quadrennial report and directs that it be delivered to the President 
and the Congress. Author roles allow these volunteers to contribute to 
the premier national assessment of the state of the science regarding 
global change. In addition to providing an opportunity to inform 
policy, participation in NCA5 will allow authors to expand their 
professional networks and visibility, and to explore opportunities to 
create derivative products. The Federal Government will not provide 
financial compensation for these roles. The Federal Government is 
expected to provide travel costs to authors to attend meetings 
requested for NCA5. USGCRP is working to streamline processes in order 
to make the author role as easy and satisfying as possible. Formal 
acknowledgment will be provided to each author's institution.
    Responses to this request for nominations for authors must be 
submitted by 30 days from the opening of this notice. The nominations 
forms can be accessed via www.globalchange.gov/notices. Interested 
persons may nominate themselves or third parties for these roles, and 
individuals may submit multiple nominations. Each nomination

[[Page 65435]]

must include (1) the nominee's full name, title, institutional 
affiliation, and contact information; (2) the nominee's area(s) of 
expertise; (3) the proposed NCA5 topic(s) (see below) for which the 
nominee is qualified; (4) a short description of the nominee's 
qualifications relative to contributing to the report; and (5) a 
current CV [maximum length four (4) pages]. Nominations with missing 
information, or for nominees who do not meet the eligibility 
requirements above, may not be considered.
    NCA5 will attempt to address the full breadth of each topic and 
seeks a suitably diverse author pool, including experts representing 
the natural and social sciences, as well as traditionally 
underrepresented groups. Selection criteria for all author positions 
will consider technical expertise, disciplinary background, career 
status, and geographic representation. Nominees may be invited to serve 
as Chapter Lead Authors, Authors, or Technical Contributors to NCA5. 
Persons selected as Chapter Lead Authors will be informed after the 
close of the nominations window. Eligible nominees not selected as 
Chapter Lead Authors will be considered for roles as Authors or 
Technical Contributors.
    In accordance with statutory language in the GCRA, NCA5 seeks 
authors with expertise in the areas of climate/earth system science, as 
well as sectoral, issue-specific, and regional impacts. This includes 
expertise in the following broad topic areas (subject to change):
     Climate/earth system science expertise to integrate, 
evaluate, and interpret the latest scientific findings; discuss the 
associated uncertainties; analyze current trends in global change; and 
project major trends for the subsequent 25 to 100 years.
     Sectoral and issue-specific impacts expertise, including 
in the social sciences, to analyze the effects of global change on the 
natural environment (including terrestrial, aquatic, and marine 
ecosystems); agriculture (including food); energy production and use; 
land and water resources (including land cover/land-use change, 
forests, coasts, oceans, and terrestrial/marine resources); 
transportation; human health and welfare (including air quality); human 
social systems (including the built environment, urban/rural systems, 
cities, and economics); biological diversity; tribes and Indigenous 
peoples; and response.
     Regional expertise that integrates across relevant natural 
and social science areas for the NCA regions (available at https://www.globalchange.gov/nca5).
    Further, authors are welcome to nominate themselves for topics not 
listed above that are consistent with the GCRA mandate.

II. Call for Relevant Scientific/Technical Inputs To Inform NCA5

    Submissions of scientific/technical inputs are sought for NCA5. 
Relevant scientific and/or technical research studies--including 
observed, modeled, and/or projected global change and climate science 
information, as well as societal drivers, vulnerability, impacts, and 
responses--are requested. Scientific/technical inputs that are peer-
reviewed and published, or accepted for publication, in journals and/or 
government reports are welcome. Please refer to the NCA5 topics list 
above to target submissions. Submissions of regional information and 
information for cross-cutting or new topics since NCA4 are encouraged. 
For best consideration, please submit by the close of this notice.
    Submissions must be uploaded electronically via the link provided 
at www.globalchange.gov/notices.

III. Notice of Planned Public Engagement Opportunities for NCA5

    Multiple opportunities for public engagement to inform NCA5 will be 
presented throughout the report's development. The following planned 
public engagement schedule is presented to notify the public of these 
coming opportunities. We note that the time ranges proposed are 
tentative and subject to change based on the timing of various 
development stages for NCA5.

 Public comment on NCA5 annotated outline (Q2 2021)
 Public engagement workshops and webinars (Q2 2021 through Q3 
2021)
 Public call for Review Editors (Q2 2022)
 Public comment on NCA5 Third Order Draft (Q3 & Q4 2022)
 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine peer 
review of NCA5 Third Order Draft (Q3 & Q4 2022)

    Interested parties are invited to participate in these public 
engagement opportunities to ensure robust public input to NCA5. 
Specific dates and locations for all engagements will be provided on 
www.globalchange.gov/notices as they are determined. Members of the 
public may also sign up to receive updates through USGCRP's bimonthly 
newsletter at www.globalchange.gov/newsletter-signup.

Karen St Germain,
Director of Earth Science.
[FR Doc. 2020-22729 Filed 10-14-20; 8:45 am]
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