Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

1. Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships Mary M. GlackinDeputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere AMS Summer Community Meeting August 12, 2008

2. Outline Understanding National Needs • Weather and Climate Addressing National Challenges • NOAA Products and Services The Future • Developing a National Climate Service • Fostering Partnerships Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

3. Understanding National Needs

4. The World Has Warmed IMPACTS Drought Receding Barnes Ice Cap Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

5. CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.3 Focus: Changes in weather and climate extremes as related to their intensity or frequency, and their likely future evolution Published June 2008 Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

6. Summary of Changes in Weather and Climate Extremes in North America Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

7. ADDRESSING NATIONAL CHALLENGES

8. NOAA Service Requirement Outlook Guidance Threats Assessments Time Scale Forecasts Watches Warnings & Alert Coordination User and stakeholder information needs do not distinguish between the weather and climate or differentiate between research and operational CLIMATE Seamless Suite of User and Stakeholder Information Needs Product Source WEATHER Discover Development Proof ofConcept Experimental Operational RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE OPERATIONS

9. NOAA Products and Services • Need to develop further: • Assessments • Issue-Focusedservices • Decision-Support Tools SEASONAL WEEKLY INCIDENT REPORTS Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

10. The Future

11. National Climate Service Public demand for climate information exceeds current capacity Sources of information are distributed and usually not coordinated Commitment to establish a National Climate Service is needed to integrate provision of NOAA’s climate products and services NOAA needs to engage other agencies and organizations in defining their roles in a National Climate Service partnership Improved capabilities are needed to enable: • User and issue focused approach • Better monitoring • Improve national to local predictions and projections • Assessments of impacts and vulnerabilities in support of adaptation and mitigation CarbonTracker Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

12. Congress Has Recognized National Needs EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20502 January 22, 2008 The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to express the Administration’s views on S. 2307, “The Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007.” … Pending Legislation S. 2307 – Global Change Research Improvement Act of 2007 • Establishes a National Climate Service within NOAA that “shall produce and deliver authoritative, timely and usable information about climate change, climate variability, trends, and impacts on local, State, regional, national, and global scales.” NOAA’s Role is Essential Administration’s views on S. 2307 • “The purpose and functions of a National Climate Service described in this bill are desirable and the Administration supports the designation of NOAA as the lead federal agency for operational climate monitoring and prediction. Most of the infrastructure and institutional capabilities required to fulfill the work of a National Climate Service currently exist, primarily within NOAA.” Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

13. A National Climate Service Proposed vision: An informed society anticipating and responding to climate and its impacts Proposed mission: develop and deliver research, information and services to enhance society's ability to understand, anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to climate variability and change Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

14. A National Climate Service Proposed Strategic Goals • Promote a National Climate Services Partnership • Build and Sustain Comprehensive Observations and Monitoring Systems • Provide State-of-the-Art Research, Modeling, Predictions, and Projections • Develop, Deliver, and Communicate Valued Climate Services in Collaboration with Users. Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

15. National Climate Service Products and Services Monitoring Research Model development Predictions and projections Archive and access to data Assessments (e.g. IPCC, Unified Synthesis Product) Public outreach and communication Issue-focused services (drought, LMR, coasts) Risk analyses, hazard and early warnings Regional applications, management tools, operational capability Capacity building Coordination and oversight Products and services would include: However, our expectation is that this list will evolve as the climate service partnership grows. BLUE = Indicates services NOAA’s is already providing in some capacity Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

16. SAB Climate Working Group Overarching message from workshop participants • The potential of a Climate Service is enormous • The scope of a truly successful Climate Service exceeds that of the draft Strategic Plan • No clear implementation plan Concluding thoughts from CWG Review team • Deliberate pro and con analysis of more than one model for the service • Evaluate options with respect to a series of principles and objectives based on this workshop through tiger teams (5-8 people - diverse representation) and a coordinating committee Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships 16

17. Next Steps NOAA will follow up on recommendations by convening teams and developing a report derived from extended community assessment of four options recommended at the Vail Summer Workshop • Create a national climate service federation that would determine how to deliver climate services to the nation • Create a non-profit corporation with federal sponsorship • Create a national climate service with NOAA as the lead agency with specifically defined partners, and • Expand and improve weather services into weather and climate services within NOAA Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

18. Fostering Partnerships

19. Meeting the Nation’s Challenges Through Partnerships Developing National Climate Services and Partnerships

20. Questions?