An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report shows the U.S. must urgently reduce emissions and increase efforts to adapt to the impacts that can’t be avoided, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Feb. 28.
The report comes from an international group of experts including two NOAA scientists, and it highlighted the role of climate-induced adaptation in the resilience of human civilization.
“Simply put, societies and ecosystems need to prepare now for the increasing effects of extreme heat, drought, sea level rise and other impacts of climate change,” Dr. Rick Spinrad, NOAA administrator, said.
NOAA is working to help the public understand how climate change and its consequences affect their communities, and it is highlighting the importance of climate awareness. The agency helps communities measure urban heat islands and to understand where and when they might be affected by drought. It partners with cities like Chicago to help prepare for regional climate change.
The agency recently released the 2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report with updated projections through 2150 of how rising water will affect U.S. coasts and coastal communities.
