2: Climate Variability and Change

Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance Society’s Ability to Plan and Respond

Other Information:

Climate shapes the environment, natural resources, economies, and social systems that people depend upon worldwide. While humanity has learned to contend with some aspects of climate’s natural variability, major climatic events, combined with the stresses of population growth, economic growth, and land-use practices, can impose serious consequences on society. The1997–98 El Niño, for example, had a $25 billion impact on the U.S. economy—property losses were $2.6 billion and crop losses approached $2 billion. Long-term drought leads to increased and competing demands for freshwater with related effects on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and even the spread of infectious diseases. Decisions about mitigating climate change also can alter economic and social structures on a global scale. We can deliver reliable climate information in useful ways to help minimize risks and maximize opportunities for decisions in agriculture, public policy, natural resources, water and energy use, and public health. We continue to move toward developing a seamless suite of weather and climate products. Whereas the Weather and Water Goal aims to expand predictive capacity out to two weeks, the Climate Goal addresses predictions on timescales of up to decades or longer. In 2003, the U.S. Government formed the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) to facilitate the creation and application of knowledge of Earth’s global environment through research, observations, decision support, and communication. The DOC, partnering with 12 other federal agencies, leads this nationwide effort (http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/default.htm). At NOAA, climate performance objectives are virtually identical to CCSP goals and are managed by the Climate Office, which assures consistency among DOC, NOAA, and CCSP strategic goals. NOAA’s climate information, products, and services enable society to understand and respond to changing climate conditions. Together with our partners, we will accelerate the development of information to support climate policy decisions and plans that consider both climate variability and long-term climate change. We will direct our efforts and actions toward delivering trusted, timely information services to those who need and can use them.

Objective(s):

1: Climate System

2: Climate Prediction

3: Climate Information

4: Climate Variability

5: Climate Products and Services

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