Review of Nature-Related Topics in the 5th National Climate Assessment
Project Partner: United States Global Change Research Program, Fall 2022-Spring 2023
Project Description: While the Biden-Harris administration has prioritized nature, as evidenced by its April 2022 Earth Day commitment to the U.S. National Nature Assessment, “nature” remains a broad term with neither a standardized definition of nature nor a framework for covering nature in current federal reports. During their internship with the United States Global Change Research Program, Emerson conducted a vocabulary and thematic search of the Third Order Draft of the 5th National Climate Assessment (NCA5) during the public comment period. Their goals were to improve consistency in how nature is addressed in NCA5, inform coverage of nature-related content in current and future NCA writing processes, and provide recommendations for the development of the first National Nature Assessment. Emerson recommended that standardized language and a framework for nature will help federal agencies and other sectors better identify, protect, restore, and promote nature and help solve climate change and other challenges.
Presenting the Nature Review at the 5th National Climate Assessment All Author Meeting in Washington, DC
Main Project Deliverable: Memorandum on the Review of Nature-Related Topics in the 5th National Climate Assessment