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NEW RELEASES
Improving
Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States
 Methane
is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the United States. Although it is shorter-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, methane is more efficient at absorbing heat. It is also emitted to the atmosphere from diverse anthropogenic sources
in many key U.S. economic sectors, including energy, agriculture, and waste.
Being able to accurately quantify methane emissions and attribute emissions to specific sources is a critical component to addressing climate change. As such, a recent National
Academies study examined approaches to measuring, monitoring, reporting, and developing inventories of anthropogenic emissions. The study also assessed published inventories of U.S. methane emissions, characterized their uncertainty, and identified
opportunities for improving these estimates.
The findings from this study are articulated in the report
Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States.
Get the report
Read
the report brief
View the report release briefing
View the briefing slides
Land
Management Practices for Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
 Terrestrial
carbon sequestration is a process that involves the capture of carbon dioxide from the air by plants, through photosynthesis, and the storage of that carbon in woody biomass and in plant-derived soil organic carbon. Although terrestrial carbon sequestration
regularly occurs in nature, there are human actions that can help maintain and enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of land—and help mitigate the effects of climate change.
This new publication summarizes a webinar and workshop that addressed:
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The current state of knowledge on the capacity of land management practices as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approach and the scientific and technical research requirements to
achieve this capacity
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The research needs for predicting - across multiple scales - the impact of land use change and management practices to the future of terrestrial carbon storage and CDR potential
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The state of knowledge on policies and incentives, and socio-economic constraints on terrestrial carbon sequestration activities
The webinar and workshop were held to inform an ongoing National Academies study, Developing
a Research Agenda for Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration. Other workshop topics in the study, for which proceedings have been or will be produced, include coastal
blue carbon, direct air capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and geologic sequestration.
Get the proceedings
 Review
of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment
Climate change poses many challenges that affect society and the natural world. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to respond. By taking steps to adapt
to and mitigate climate change, the risks to society and the impacts of continued climate change can be lessened. The National Climate Assessment, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is a mandated report intended to inform response decisions.
Required to be developed every four years, these reports provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of climate change impacts available for the United States, making them a unique and important climate change document.
The draft Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) report reviewed here addresses a wide range of topics of high importance to the United States and society more
broadly, extending from human health and community well-being, to the built environment, to businesses and economies, to ecosystems and natural resources. This report evaluates the draft NCA4 to determine if it meets the requirements of the federal mandate,
whether it provides accurate information grounded in the scientific literature, and whether it effectively communicates climate science, impacts, and responses for general audiences including the public, decision makers, and other stakeholders.
Get the report
 Review
of the Draft Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2)
The second “State of the Climate Cycle Report” (SOCCR2) aims to elucidate the fundamental physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the carbon cycle and to discuss
the challenges of accounting for all major carbon stocks and flows for the North American continent. This assessment report has broad value, as understanding the carbon cycle is not just an academic exercise. Rather, this understanding can provide an important
foundation for making a wide variety of societal decisions about land use and natural resource management, climate change mitigation strategies, urban planning, and energy production and consumption. To help assure the quality and rigor of SOCCR2, this report
provides an independent critique of the draft document.
Get the report
SAVE THE DATE: BASC Meeting
The Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate will meet May 21-22, 2018 in Washington, DC.
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