The US Global Change Research Program is mandated by Congress to coordinate federal climate research and produces National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports every 4-5 years. The Fifth Assessment was released in November 2023, featuring a renewed emphasis on Indigenous knowledges and how Indigenous peoples are impacted by climate change and contribute to climate solutions.
The report includes five overview chapters covering physical climate science, adaptation, and mitigation; 17 topical chapters including those on Indigenous Peoples and Social Systems and Justice; and 10 regional chapters, including the Northeast, Southeast, and Southern Great Plains, which each have overlapping footprints with USET member Tribal Nation lands.
USET’s Climate Change Program Manager, Dr. Casey Thornbrugh, co-authored the Northeast regional chapter. The chapter includes information about the climate change concerns, responses, and successes of Tribal Nations across the region.
This version of the report includes expanded resources to improve accessibility for audiences without extensive backgrounds in climate science and those who may want to engage with the report without reading full chapters. You can engage with the report through:
- The Chapter Handouts highlighting the 2-5 key messages in each chapter.
- The digital art gallery, Art X Climate, featuring works from 92 artists.
- The 7-episode companion podcast.
- Public webinars planned for each chapter, taking place various times and dates from now to March 15.
- This story map, illustrating major take-aways of the NCA Atlas/GIS platform.