Fifth National Climate Assessment shows what the Northwest can expect without climate action

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On November 14, the Biden Administration released the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA) detailing how climate change is affecting the United States and how institutions and communities are responding. Crystal Raymond is quoted in this UW Daily article. 

NCA5 Northwest – November 30 Webinar

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Cascadia Consulting Group and the Climate Impacts Group held an informational webinar covering the Northwest Chapter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment on November 30, 2023. The webinar will focus on the significance of the report for Washington, and include information about climate action by Washington State agencies. The webinar recording is now available. Copy and paste the following passcode to access: j!8N*?27

CIG and partners mark release of Fifth National Climate Assessment

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Climate Impacts Group scientists were among hundreds of authors of the newly-released Fifth National Climate Assessment. The assessment, released roughly every four years by the The U.S. Global Change Research Program, assesses the effects of climate change on a wide range of sectors and for 10 geographic regions across the U.S. 

The assessment captures a range of potential impacts and aims to help decision-makers better identify and understand climate risks that could be avoided or reduced. Over a three-year period, authors synthesize individual studies, data and models and apply best expert judgment to characterize certainty.

Dr. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist at the Climate Impacts Group, and Erica Asinas, formerly a research scientist at the Climate Impacts Group and now at Urban Oceans Lab, are authors on the Northwest Chapter.

“What is striking to me about the Fifth National Climate Assessment is the emphasis on extreme events,” Raymond said. “There’s a real emphasis on how people across the country are feeling the effects of climate change here and now through events like heat waves, floods and other extreme events made more intense by human-caused climate change.”

Raymond also highlighted the increase in state and local action on climate change, including adaptation and mitigation, since 2018. “Still more action is needed to meet the challenge climate change presents to our region,” she added. 

Dr. Raymond will be participating in a dialogue led by the US Global Change Research Program on Wednesday, November 15 from 12:15-12:45 p.m. PT. This call will include a welcome by director of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, Allison Crimmins, and key messages from the Northwest Chapter by lead author Mike Chang of Cascadia Consulting. 

Cascadia Consulting and the Climate Impacts Group are collaboratively developing resources to help audiences learn about and engage with the report content, including a media availability window and a webinar focused on the relevance of the assessment for Washington State. These resources complement several communications efforts led by the  U.S. Global Change Research Program, including a six-episode podcast series, webinars and in-person events to be held in 2024.  Cascadia Consulting has curated a list of events and resources around the Fifth National Climate Assessment on their website. 

The assessment also features nearly 100 artworks from artists around the country reflecting climate change and climate resilience. A painting by Claire Sianna Seaman, which was created in collaboration with the Climate Impacts Group for our 25th anniversary, was one of the pieces selected through a competitive process to be included in the assessment. The painting can be found in the National Climate Assessment Art x Climate gallery.