Executive Summary
Over the past decade, scientific research has greatly advanced the
understanding of global environmental change. Research supported
through the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is
providing answers to important questions about the Earth system,
how it is changing, and the implications of global change for
society.
The USGCRP is focusing research on four key areas of Earth system
science that are of significant scientific and practical importance.
These priority environmental science issues are:
- Seasonal to Interannual Climate Variability -- The USGCRP
plays a leading role in an ongoing global endeavor to develop and
enhance prediction of seasonal and interannual climate variability.
These forecasts are used for economic planning and development in
climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water supply, and
public health.
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Climate Change Over Decades to Centuries -- The USGCRP
supports research to reduce uncertainties associated with prediction
of long-term climate change and is broadening research to
understand and assess the impacts of climate change on natural
resources, public health, and socio-economic sectors.
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Changes in Ozone, UV Radiation, and Atmospheric Chemistry --
Through USGCRP-supported research, emissions of CFCs from
human activities have been unambiguously identified as the cause of
the Antarctic ozone hole. Projections that large increases in CFC
emissions would lead to large losses of stratospheric ozone underlie
the agreement to phase out CFC use. Observations of declining CFC
growth rates demonstrate the efficacy of the policies
adopted to protect the ozone layer.
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Changes in Land Cover and in Terrestrial and Aquatic
Ecosystems -- The USGCRP supports research to inventory the current land
cover of the Earth and to document changes; to improve
understanding of the dynamics of land-cover and land-use change
and how terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems react to change; and to
document and understand chemical, physical, and biological
processes in the oceans and their relationship with the carbon cycle
and marine life.
To provide the basis for continuing advancement in scientific
understanding and leadership in global change research, the USGCRP
continues to support a number of integrative and cooperative efforts,
which contribute in varying degrees to all of the priority
environmental science issues. These efforts include:
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Developing an integrated global observing and monitoring
system
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Maintaining full and open access to useful global change data,
products, and information services
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Supporting fundamental scientific research needed to gain a
predictive understanding of variations and changes in the Earth
system
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Enhancing understanding of the human contributions and responses
to global change
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Providing strong U.S. leadership through participation in and support
for international research cooperation
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Encouraging global change science literacy through global change
education and communication.
Over the next decade, global change research can further benefit
society by promoting sustainable economic development. Research
challenges to accomplish this include:
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Regional-scale estimates of the timing and magnitude of climate
change and other aspects of global change
-
Regional analyses of the environmental and socio-economic
consequences of climate change and other aspects of global change, in
the context of other stresses
- Integrated assessments of the implications for society and the
environment of climate change and other aspects of global
change.
Go To: Chapter 1: Understanding Global
Change
Return To: Table of Contents