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November 14, 2023
Today, the U.S. government released the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5), the Congressionally-mandated report on climate change impacts in the United States.
“The climate impacts listed in the report are neither hypotheticals nor hyperbole. These things are happening to real people, who are increasingly struggling under the strain,” said Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) President Daniel Bresette. “Our elected leaders owe it to their constituents to come to terms with the challenges of climate change. Only then can we find ways to work together to implement equitable solutions that will help communities prepare for and adapt to increasingly severe climate impacts.”
The report signals that progress is being made: annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell 12 percent between 2005 and 2019, while the population and economy were growing. Climate action has increased in every region of the United States. However, climate change remains a dire threat. The risks from extreme weather events are increasing, and much more must be done for the United States to meet its net-zero emission goals.
“Congress created the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program in 1990 on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. As the NCA5 makes clear, climate impacts do not—and most definitely will not—respect political boundaries. We are all in this together, and I hope this report strengthens the resolve of senators and representatives to cooperate and advance climate solutions every chance they get.
“The report reflects a lot of rigorous research, analysis, and traditional knowledge, brought together at the request of Congress. Hundreds of authors from across the country—from a broad range of federal agencies, academic institutions, nonprofits, and businesses—have been working on this report for the past four years. I encourage every member of Congress to give this report a serious look,” said Bresette.
EESI will cover the Fifth National Climate Assessment in a Congressional briefing on Thursday, January 18. Panelists will explore the report’s key findings and highlight takeaways for Congress. Please RSVP here.
The report is well-timed, coming just ahead of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP28), which will start on November 30. Leaders at COP28 will finalize the first ever global stocktake of efforts to address climate change. This stocktaking process, established by the Paris Agreement, aims to assess the world’s collective progress towards the goal of keeping global average temperature rise well below 2°C (3.6°F). Learn more about the global stocktake by watching our November 27 Congressional briefing.
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