April 13, 2011

By Kevin Merrill

Rosina M. Bierbaum, dean of the School of Natural Resources and Environment, has been named to the National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee to plan the nation's next assessment report.

In addition to Dean Bierbaum, the other University of Michigan scientist named to the committee is Marie S. O'Neill, an associate professor of both Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. Their names were announced earlier this month as the committee met for the first time.

The National Climate Assessment synthesizes the latest science and information about current and future impacts of climate change across the United States. The Global Change Research Act of 1990 requires a National Climate Assessment no less frequently than every four years. The committee is as an advisory body to the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), acting through the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The committee produces an assessment that integrates and interprets the previous findings of the USGCRP and analyzes the effects of current and projected climate change upon a range of sectors, including agriculture, energy, water resources, human health and transportation, and will focus on regional and national level impacts. The assessment is expected to be completed by June 2013.

"Every industry and every community in the United States will feel the effects of climate change in some way. The National Climate Assessment provides a critical, authoritative source of information about the latest scientific understanding of our changing climate on which Americans can confidently make smart decisions for their families, businesses, and communities," said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. "The extensive and diverse expertise on this committee will ensure a rigorous analysis of the state of climate change science and an end product that is relevant to Americans making important investment decisions about jobs, our economy, the environment, and the public's health and safety."

Related links:

• Advisory committee members
• Committee charter
• National Climate Assessment