U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is a governmental initiative established in 2002 under President George W. Bush, aimed at coordinating climate-related research across thirteen federal agencies. This program seeks to integrate and disseminate scientific findings from various sectors, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, enhancing communication and collaboration among governmental bodies engaged in climate science.
The CCSP has played a pivotal role in assessing and documenting the impacts of human activity on climate change, notably affirming the reality of global warming and its consequential effects through comprehensive reports. Despite facing criticism over alleged political interference and delays in addressing climate issues, the program published significant synthesis reports that outlined the scientific consensus on increasing global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions.
In response to evolving needs, the CCSP's focus shifted in 2008 towards practical applications, assisting local governments and policymakers in formulating strategies to tackle climate change on a regional level. Overall, the CCSP represents a critical effort in understanding and responding to the challenges posed by climate change within the U.S., providing a foundation for informed decision-making in environmental policy.
U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)
- DATE: Established 2002
Mission
The US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is an interagency US government program established by President George W. Bush that coordinates and publishes thirteen federal agencies’ research related to the Earth’s climate and to human impacts on climate change. The CCSP facilitates communication among the thirteen agencies, as well as coordinating their publications. The CCSP was established in 2002 to bring together scientific research from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Agriculture.
Significance for Climate Change
The CCSP has been criticized as an effort by the Bush administration to delay practical responses to global warming. The program’s integrity was questioned when, in 2005, a CCSP scientist accused White House officials of editing draft reports before they were made public in order to downplay references to global warming. However, in 2006, the CCSP published a final report that resolved inconsistencies created by scientific research that seemed to disprove global warming. The report confirmed that the Earth’s temperature was measurably increasing and that human activity contributed to climate change.
The 1990 Global Change Research Act requires the White House to provide Congress with an assessment of climate change every four years. Through the CCSP, the Bush administration opted instead to produce twenty-one synthesis and assessment reports. In November 2006, environmental groups sued the administration for failing to comply with the 1990 law, and White House officials agreed to publish all twenty-one reports by May 2008. By that date, however, only six reports had been completed. These reports provided scientific analyses of temperature measurements, the possible effects of increased or stabilized amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, North American production of carbon dioxide, methods for protecting ecosystems from the effects of climate change, anticipated extreme weather conditions, and the effects of climate change on natural resources and energy production.
The CCSP confirmed that global warming was a scientifically provable phenomenon, documented trends in global warming, and predicted its large-scale effects. In 2008, the Senate called for the CCSP to shift its focus away from global trends, data collection, and scholarly communication. Instead, the program was tasked with developing practical ways local governments and policymakers across various climatic regions of the United States could plan for and respond to climate change.
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"Evaluating Progress of the US Climate Change Science Program." National Academy of Engineering, 2007, www.nae.edu/25238/Evaluating-Progress-of-the-US-Climate-Change-Science-Program. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.
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