National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Climate Assessment

NASA National Climate Assessment (NCA) Activities

Research Projects

GRIP

Artist's Concept of the A-Train constellation of satellites. Credit: NASA

NASA is a major contributor to global climate and related environmental assessment activities, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Meteorological Organization/United Nations Environment Programme (WMO/UNEP) Ozone Assessment Reports. While much of NASA’s Earth Science research efforts have focused on the global Earth system, the Agency has focused increasing attention onto regional and smaller spatial scales. NASA has made similarly significant contributions to the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) by funding assessment-relevant science through several research opportunities:

  • In 2011, the NASA ESD announced a competitive opportunity to fund work at NASA Centers regarding climate assessment activities. This was in support of the Third NCA report and future assessments. Fourteen projects were funded in three main areas. These projects completed in 2014, although four Enabling Tools projects were extended through 2017.
  • In 2012, the NASA ESD released a solicitation open to the broad research community to develop and test potential indicators for the NCA. In June 2013, the agency announced the selection of fourteen proposals. These projects were funded for up to 18 months.
  • In 2014, the NASA ESD released another solicitation open to the broad research community to conduct research in support of future NCAs. Twenty-five projects were funded for a period of three years.