Fifth National Climate Assessment Released
Jacoby, a Junior at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, first published this story in the school’s print publication, ‘The Booster.’
United States President Joe Biden’s administration released the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) on Nov. 14, 2023. This assessment has been labeled as the most comprehensive analysis of the state of the climate crisis in the United States.
Almost 100 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists and staff put their brains together for NCA5. This group consisted of 35 authors,13 chapter leaders, 20 members of NOAA’s technical support team, technical contributors, and reviewers. Their research focused on how different areas of the U.S. are evolving because of climate change, the risks that will occur because of climate change, what the government can do to prevent any further harmful changes, and how they can reverse some of the damage done.
A fire cloud over the ridgeline rising from the Bootleg wildfire in Oregon, July 7, 2021. Image credit: InciWeb/inciweb.nwcg.gov
The term climate change refers to the long-term variations of the average weather conditions in a region. Meteorologists have observed that the Earth’s surface is overall warming, mostly because of human disturbances such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and farming. When Biden was discussing the newly released assessment, he called climate change the “ultimate threat to humanity.” Climate change is the main topic of NCA5, acknowledging, “The more the planet warms, the greater the impacts.”
Climate action efforts that aim at reducing net greenhouse gasses and adapting to climate change have expanded to every region of the United States. Since 2018, adaptation plans and actions have increased by 32%, plus a 14% increase in the total number of new state-wide mitigation projects. NCA5 provided many examples of climate projects that aim at adapting, mitigating, and rehabilitating, including one that is taking place right here in the Midwest.
On the port of Lake Erie, the Western Lake Erie Basin Project was formed by the United States and Canadian governments to prioritize the restoration of the lake. The Great Lakes contain 21% of Earth’s water, so it is important to preserve and protect this water resource. Their restoration goals are being achieved by reducing phosphorus loading into the lake through a number of different approaches.
Many communities are more likely to feel the negative effects of climate change because of numerous social and economic disadvantages. These communities are burdened by the lack of access to healthcare, green spaces, and safe housing. The extreme heat can cause illnesses and death, and are more likely to, in low-income neighborhoods. The example used in NCA5 is low-income communities of color. There have been higher flood exposures in the South, and these neighborhoods are more likely to feel the burden than higher-income white neighborhoods.
Overall, climate change is harmful to health across the U.S., as it introduces more people to more severe weather events, worsened air quality or smog, wildfire smoke, threats to food and water security, mental health stressors, and wider spread of infections. The study found that large reductions in greenhouse gasses will increase overall health and wellness. Senior Parker Rosen claimed, “We must keep the planet safe and healthy to keep what we love safe and healthy as well.”
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, catastrophic flooding, 2008.
There are those who see a problem in this report because it mostly highlights the negative aspects of climate change. There are some positive impacts that will come along with climate change, for example, the economy. One of the ways the economy would benefit in the long term from the planet getting warmer is the Northwest Passage. Ships would be able to ship commerce during longer periods of the year, and ships would be faster because of the lack of arctic ice. Business transactions would be easier to facilitate if there were faster ways of travel. Sophomore Lee Goodwin said, “Climate change can benefit the economy, but the negatives outweigh the positives.”
Climate change poses many risks, the main one being the planet getting hotter. When the planet gets warmer, the risk of wildfires and declining air quality go up exponentially. Plus, climate change directly correlates with the spread of disease, poverty, and lack of housing. The example used in NCA5 is how extreme climate changes directly lead to increased food insecurity. Simultaneous megafires that have been occurring also lead to depleting air and life qualities.
Coral bleaching; photo courtesy of NOAA.
The last section of the assessment discussed the future. The future is always uncertain, and even more so with how unstable the world is today. Scientists are worried about the future of the climate, especially in the U.S. because global warming is faster here than on average for the rest of the planet. The assessment outlines possible future plans, which aim to prioritize reducing greenhouse gas and fossil fuel use.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment has much more important information available on their website. This study was marked, accurately, as the most comprehensive analysis on the state of the climate in the United States.
