USDA and Forest Service Resources
The following sites are portals to climate change activities and research within the Forest Service, including individual Research Stations and select research units. They feature information on climate change and associated forest threats, ecosystem responses, adaptation and mitigation. Some also profile case studies and activities that support land management planning under climate change.You may also be interested in our Climate Change Education resources, and our Climate Data page.National
Office of Sustainability and ClimateForest Service: Climate Change
Forest Service R&D: Climate Change
USDA Climate Hubs
Research Stations
Northern Research Station: Climate ChangeSouthern Research Station: Forest Health
Pacific Northwest Research Station: Climate Change
Pacific Southwest Research Station: Climate Change
Rocky Mountain Research Station: Climate Change
Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center
Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
Sectoral
Forest Inventory and Analysis National Program - Carbon in U.S. ForestsValuing Ecosystem Services - Carbon Sequestration
NRS 06 Climate, Fire and Carbon Cycle Sciences
Woody Biomass Utilization
Climate Change Land Management & Project Planning
Other Federal Government
Climate.gov
Houses reports for policy leaders, educational resources, maps and data, and news on climate change. Materials are designed for a range of audiences.
Climate Science Centers
The eight Regional Climate Science Centers (CSCs) provide scientific information, tools, and techniques that land, water, wildlife, and cultural resource managers and other interested parties can apply to address climate change impacts. The managing entity for the CSCs is the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (see link below).
Data.gov
In 2014, Data.gov updated their website to include dozens of new climate-related datasets, including a whole subset of data related to ecosystem vulnerability. This expands on previous versions of the website which focused on coastal flooding and sea level rise. Tools are available to map and visualize data, or to locate datasets relevant to a geographical area of interest.
DOE Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
The primary climate change data and information analysis center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This site provides access to records and datasets on atmospheric CO2, plant and ecosystem responses to elevated CO2, and terrestrial carbon management among other subjects.
DOD Natural Resources Program - Climate Change Tools for Adapting Management Strategies
Provides information on how the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing for climate change, including the 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap. This site provides references for a number of tools and resources that can help to incorporate climate change into planning on lands managed by the military.
DOT Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse
A portal for information on transportation and climate change from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Available information includes greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, methods for analyzing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, and emissions reduction strategies.
EPA - Climate Change
This site coordinates climate change information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other sources. It provides overviews on GHG emissions, health, environmental effects, regulation/policy, economics, and GHG reduction strategies among other topics.
Joint Fire Science Program
The JFSP is a one-stop source to access fire science information, resources and funding announcements for scientists, fire practitioners and decision makers.
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCC's)
LCCs are applied conservation science partnerships with two main functions. The first is to provide the science and technical expertise needed to support conservation planning at landscape scales. The second is to promote collaboration among members (States, Tribes, Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and other groups) in defining shared conservation goals. There are 22 LCC's deliniated in the United States.
NASA - Global Cimate Change
Contains a wealth of climate change information and multimedia from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Includes educational materials, animations and videos, recent news, kids resources, real time data on climate metrics, and more.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Global Change Master Directory
An extensive directory of Earth science data. The GCMD database holds more than 30,000 descriptions of Earth science data sets and services covering all aspects of Earth and environmental sciences.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Climate and Radiation Branch
A NASA branch that conducts research focused on atmospheric measurement, numerical modeling, and climate analysis. They investigate atmospheric radiation both as a driver for climate change and as a tool for the remote sensing of Earth's atmosphere and surface. Access to research descriptions and publications are available here.
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies - Datasets and Images
A key objective of GISS research is prediction of atmospheric and climate changes in the 21st century. This website provides access to climate change simulators and observational data on temperature, precipitation, aerosols, radiation and climate forcing and other processes.
NOAA - Climate
This website collects and organizes the various National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) work relating to climate change, including climate observation & monitoring, research, modeling, and information services geared towards helping communities manage climate risks.
NOAA - Satellite and Information Service (formerly NESDIS)
NESDIS provides timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources. From this page one can access global oceanographic data, the NOAA climatic data center, and a variety of satellite imagery.
Science.gov "Climate Change"
A list of online resources containing U.S. government science information and research results pertaining to climate change. Resources span a wide range of topics, from atmospheric modeling to ecosystem monitoring to human health.
USFWS - Conservation in a Changing Climate
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is dedicated to helping reduce the impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. One initiative is the development of a series of regional Landscape Conservation Cooperatives designed to engage multiple landowners and management organizations in addressing climate change impacts on ecosystems and species.
The USGCRP integrates federal research on global change and its environmental and societal implications. The site includes concise summaries on climate change impacts for different sectors (i.e. agriculture) and regions of the US. It also provides access to "Synthesis and Assessment" reports written to support decision-making under climate change.
USDA Climate Hubs
The Hubs aim to develop and deliver science-based, practical, region-specific information and technologies to farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and resource managers to support climate-informed decision-making.
USDA - NRCS, National Water and Climate Center
This website from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) aims to develop and transfer water and climate information and technology that supports natural resource conservation. It is a source for spatial information on snow, water, climate, and hydrology.
USGS - Climate and Land Use Change
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to understand the interrelationships among earth surface processes, ecological systems, and human activities. This website provides a range of USGS contributions to climate change science, including links to research on modeling past and present environments, hydrologic analysis, climate change impacts on wildlife, and more.
USGS - National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center
The NCCWSC was created to help provide scientific information to inform fish and wildlife management under climate change, while working across jurisdictional boundaries. The center’s initial activities have focused on funding new climate change research projects by USGS scientists and launching pilot programs to look at wildlife adaptation and management options.
USGS - Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems
A USGS research program that seeks to understand the effects of past climatic variability on northern Rocky Mountain resources, to document and understand climate-driven changes in the regional landscape, and to project future changes.
Council on Environmental Quality (White House)
Coordinates federal environmental efforts in the development of environmental policies and initiatives.
Collaborative, International, and Nongovernmental Organizations
CAKE - Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange
Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE)is a joint project of Island Press and EcoAdapt. It is aimed at building a shared knowledge base for managing natural systems in the face of rapid climate change.
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
The center, which succeeds the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, brings together business leaders, policymakers, scientists, and other experts to work together for climate protection and sustained economic growth. The site provides expert analyses of climate issues, with a broader focus on policy, business solutions and education.
CIFOR
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) conducts research to inform equitable decision making about the use and management of forests in less-developed countries. A principle focus of the organization is on managing forests to enable mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
CIRMOUNT
The Consortium for Integrated Climate Research in Western Mountains (CIRMOUNT) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary consortium dedicated to understanding climates and ecosystems of western North American mountains.
Climate Central
Climate Central is a nonprofit, collaborative group of scientists and communicators. Climate Central's mission is to create a bridge between the scientific community and the public, providing clear, honest, nonpartisan, and up-to-date information to help people make sound decisions about climate and energy.
Climate Change and Biological Diversity - Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Provides an overview on how climate change is being integrated into the CBD mission and activities. The site provides example case studies where biodiversity considerations have been incorporated into climate change adaptation planning.
IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The IPCC is a scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Their aim is to provide a scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences. Their Assessment Reports are available on this site.
Natural Resources Defense Council
Get state by state data on threats to human health related to climate change, actions being taken to prepare communities, and state climate adaptation strategies.
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) has been designed as a collaborative effort among the Forest Service, universities, forest industry, and non-governmental organizations to provide information on managing forests for climate change adaptation, enhanced carbon sequestration, and sustainable production of bioenergy and materials.
Task Force on Adapting Forests to Climate Change
An ad-hoc group of scientists and land managers that are interested in understanding the potential effects of climate change on natural and planted forests in the western U.S. Focal areas include climate change and its effect on tree physiology and development, on the health and productivity of forests, and forest management responses. An overarching goal of this group is to consider these questions in relation to forest tree genetics and tree breeding.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - Methods & Science
The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) undertakes work on methodological and scientific matters as they relate to the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol process. Some of the issues the SBSTA is currently dealing with are land use, land-use change and forestry, adaptation, mitigation, research, systematic observation, and transport emissions.
World Bank - Climate Change
The World Bank maintains a social focus on climate change, highlighting its potential risks to agriculture, water supply, and disaster management in developing nations. Information on societal adaptation and mitigation strategies are provided here along with current news.
State Government
Climate Change in Oregon
From the Oregon Department of Energy, this site provides information on climate and energy initiatives in Oregon, including greenhouse gas reduction strategies, renewable energy resources, and reports on climate change actions.
EPA- State and Local Climate and Energy Program
An EPA program that provides technical assistance, analytical tools, and outreach support to state, local, and tribal governments. This includes help with assessing policy options and measuring the costs and benefits of addressing climate change via energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
RGGI is the first mandatory, market-based effort in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. States involved in the initiative include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
California Climate Change Portal
Offers final reports on studies related to climate change and energy use in California. Principle research areas are climate monitoring, analysis and modeling; greenhouse gas inventory methods; options for greenhouse gas reduction; and climate change impacts and adaptation.
The Western Climate Initiative
Western Climate Initiative, Inc. (WCI, Inc.) is a non-profit corporation formed to provide administrative and technical services to support the implementation of state and provincial greenhouse gas emissions trading programs.
Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI)
The Mission of the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts is to generate and share information that can limit vulnerability to climate change in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.
Academic
Alaska Climate Research Center
A research and service organization at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. The group conducts research focusing on Alaska and polar regions climatology and archives climatological data for Alaska.
Colorado State University - Colorado Climate Center
The Colorado Climate Center was established to provide information and expertise concerning Colorado’s climate. They assist the state of Colorado in monitoring climate over a range of time scales.
The Exploratorium - Global Climate Change Research Explorer
An educational site that allows the exploration of scientific data and provides succinct explanations of data relating to climate change and Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, snow and ice cover, and living organisms.
International Arctic Research Center (IARC)
IARC integrates Arctic climate change research efforts and synthesizes and communicates the results to the global climate research community. The website features educational and outreach resources as well as research.
Purdue Climate Change Research Center (PCCRC)
The PCCRC was chartered in 2004 to create a world-class multidisciplinary research center focused on interrelated aspects of climate change, its impacts, and mitigation. Descriptions of research projects and publications can be found here.
Yale Project on Climate Change Communication
This project addresses the gap between climate change science and action in the U.S. Research examines public values, attitudes and behaviors regarding climate change, climate science communication, and the economics of climate change mitigation among other topics.
This group conducts research on technologies that will permit the development of global energy systems with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. The site includes descriptions of current research efforts and news.
University of Washington - Climate Impacts Group
An interdisciplinary research group studying the impacts of natural climate variability and global climate change on the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Through research and interaction with regional stakeholders, the CIG works to increase the resilience of the Pacific Northwest to fluctuations in climate. Principle areas of interest include climate impacts on water, forests, salmon and coasts along with the human socioeconomic and political systems associated with each.
Climate Change Communication
Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands: a toolkit for formal and informal educators
Basic climate change information, case studies & videos on climate change impacts on wildlife, and resources for teachers.
Climate Central
Climate Central is a nonprofit, collaborative group of scientists and communicators. Climate Central's mission is to create a bridge between the scientific community and the public, providing clear, honest, nonpartisan, and up-to-date information to help people make sound decisions about climate and energy.