New Publication: Approaches for Using CMIP Projections in Climate Model Ensembles to Address the ‘Hot Model’ Problem

A new publication from USGS, the NC CASC, and the University of Oklahoma discusses approaches for using CMIP projections in climate model ensembles to address the 'hot model' problem.

Incorporating Climate and Environmental Justice into Research and Resource Management

The U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC) invites all audiences interested in the intersection between climate and environmental justice and environmental research to join the webinar series “Incorporating Climate and Environmental Justice into Research and Resource Management.”

NC CASC welcomes new Tribal Liaison with Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance

The NC CASC is excited to welcome Janna Black, new Tribal Climate Resilience Liaison with the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance!

New Report: Climate Change in Colorado

A recent report led by Becky Bolinger and colleagues at Colorado State University synthesizes and highlights the most recent research on climate change in Colorado. This is the third edition of “Climate Change in Colorado.” NC CASC Social Science and Climate Science Leads, Heather Yocum and Imtiaz Rangwala, reviewed and contributed to this report.

New “Innovation in Climate Adaptation” Report from CASC Network and Partners

Innovation in Climate Adaptation was produced by National Wildlife Federation, the USGS CASC network, and the IUCN Species Survival Commission Climate Change Specialist Group with input from an “international workgroup of adaptation experts.” The report was published yesterday (Jan. 17, 2024) with NC CASC’s Regional Administrator Molly Cross as a lead author.

Upcoming webinar: February 8, 2024

Join us for the next NC CASC webinar on February 8! Scott Somershoe of the US Fish and Wildlife Service will deliver a lecture on Pinyon Jays, an iconic species of piñon-juniper woodlands across the Intermountain West.

When

Pinyon Jays are an iconic species of piñon-juniper woodlands across the Intermountain West. Since the late 1960’s, the species has experienced significant, long-term population declines and is now under review for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act. Despite their noisy and gregarious nature, Pinyon Jays are poorly understood, and the specific drivers of decline are unknown. As partners begin research on Pinyon Jay demographics and habitat use, we are also beginning to investigate how impacts of climate change on piñon-juniper woodlands could affect jay populations. Through bringing together an understanding of Pinyon Jay biology, natural woodland dynamics, effects of anthropogenic change, climate change, among others, we can begin to strive for success with both jay and piñon-juniper woodland conservation. Pinyon Jay conservation is dependent on managing a climate resilient, ecologically functional woodland ecosystem into the future.

Assessing Drought in the Era of Climate Change

In recent years, there have been major advancements in the United States' ability to actively manage drought risks by collecting the most relevant up-to-date and on-the-ground information and developing tools for assessing drought conditions.

NC CASC’s James Rattling Leaf, Sr. quoted in Tribal collaboration article

In a recent article, James Rattling Leaf, Sr. discussed the potential for Tribal-federal collaboration by creating a shared space for conversation and understanding.

Intense periods of drought across the western U.S. present severe threats to a wide range of shareholders tasked with managing natural resources. In an era of intensifying human-driven climate change, the severity and frequency of these droughts will likely increase ( Cravens et al., 2021 ). While managing water is a critical approach to mitigating and responding to drought, water management does not encompass the wide array of impacts, management strategies, and shareholders related to drought management. For example, aridification from lack of precipitation has agricultural and natural resource implications. Effective drought response involves interdisciplinary collaboration and the expertise and experience of diverse actors including private landowners, business owners, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and managers and policymakers within Tribal, local, state, and federal government agencies. However, it is not clear how their differing professional, cultural, educational, and jurisdictional expertise can complicate collaboration. A team of researchers funded by the Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) sought to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and outcomes of these interdisciplinary collaborations to understand how and why the diverse actors involved in making decisions about drought take certain actions. Their analysis resulted in a typology to support actors navigating complex drought management projects that accounts for multiple scales and dynamics of drought choices. Typologies help capture important aspects of a concept, process, activity, or network ( Cravens et al., 2021 ) to provide a high-level understanding of that concept, process, activity, or network. Without a drought decision-making typology, issues that arise from complexity and subject-matter discrepancies may remain unchecked. Using a typology, actors can streamline the process of understanding the complexity of their drought issue and correct potential stakeholder exclusion, unexpected impacts, or partner misunderstandings early in project/management plan development phases. 

Subscribe to