The Fourth National Climate Assessment
After a year of advocacy from climate change organizations across the country, the federal government released Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment late last year.
The National Climate Assessment is made up of two volumes. The first is a science report – very dry and nearly incomprehensible for local governments. For them, the important part is the second report, which assesses the impacts of climate change on resources and populations around the country.
In late 2017 a strategy session was held in Washington DC by organizations working to protect the National Climate Assessment from the climate deniers in the Trump Administration.
The science report (Volume I) had been released and the draft of the second volume on effects was out for comment, but President Trump had deliberately chosen not to renew the advisory committee that was guiding it.
Our very real fear was that without the advisory committee in place, the federal government would indefinitely delay the release of the second volume or that it would be released with manipulated information.
Because we use the National Climate Assessment in our work with communities, it was critically important that the second volume be published and that it be credible.
The constant pressure applied to the Trump administration by civic organizations was key to forcing the administration to release an accurate National Climate Assessment Volume II in late 2018.
If you are working on climate change in your community, the information in the National Climate Assessment Volume II may be particularly helpful in building support for local action.
The National Climate Assessment report follows closely on the heels of the special report published by the International Panel on Climate Change. That report issues the dire warning that we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 if we are to have any chance at all of heading off the global climate crisis.
We have 11 years. It is a call to action if ever there was one – and a reminder about the importance of the work we are all doing during this very difficult time in human history.
The Climate Ready Communities team recently joined the excitement at the 4th National Adaptation Forum (NAF), the largest gathering of the climate adaptation community in North America that takes place every 2 years. It’s inspiring to be part of such a vibrant, diverse and motivated group. The numbers are not yet published for 2019, but it definitely felt like the largest attendance yet!
It was standing room only for every single session in the Climate Resilience track at the 2019 National Planning Conference in mid-April. 
The popularity of the climate sessions underscores what we are seeing in professional societies across the nation as climate impacts become much more obvious and the need to take action more urgent. Planners are looking for help navigating climate science resources, engaging their elected officials and residents around the issue, and identifying sound investments in climate adaptation for their communities. It was the first time we introduced our soon to be launched Climate Ready Communities program to the planning community, and we found that many planners are in the difficult spot of knowing they need to take action, but not having the expertise to do it alone or the money to hire for consultant help. 
The Sierra Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership (Sierra CAMP) is a cross-sector partnership working to promote climate adaptation and mitigation strategies across the expansive Sierra Nevada region of California. Sierra CAMP, one of seven regional climate collaboratives in the state and a member of the Alliance of Regional Collaboratives for Climate Adaptation (ARCCA), is a program of Sierra Business Council. Sierra CAMP convenes a diverse group of public, private, and nonprofit entities including the Town of Truckee, U.S. Forest Service Region V, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, California Ski Industry Association, California Forestry Association, Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council, and the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment. 
Corinth is a city of 20,000 people located 20 miles north of Dallas. Over the last two years, local leaders in Corinth have become increasingly alarmed about the impact of changing climate conditions on their community and economy.
Yes!! And actually we MUST have fun from time to time. It’s psychology – our brains are hardwired to help us avoid long-term pain and suffering and to instead seek pleasure and enjoyment. If we want to stay in the fight against climate change, we have to figure out how to enjoy doing it.
