National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Climate Assessment

NASA National Climate Assessment (NCA) Activities

NASA Centers Call for Proposals

National Climate Assessment - 2011 NASA Centers Call For Proposals

Lead PI and Center:  Graeme Stephens, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Title:  Proposal to Participate in the 2013 NCA Sections Writing Teams
Proposal Type:  NCA Sections

Background:
In my view climate assessment activities are an essential tool both for establishing the scientific level of understanding of climate change and for the distillation of this understanding into the most policy-relevant climate science. It is thus essential that these assessments draw from the most up-to-date body of scientific information and be based on the most solid science basis possible. The national assessment in particular brings more of a focus to regional climate change. Given that regional climate projections are even more uncertain than global projection, then the need to connect to the most up-to-date science even more pressing.

I am also an IPCC lead author and thus I am familiar with the rigor and completeness required for a scientific assessment of this nature and the timeliness needed to write such reports.

Proposed Effort:
This is a proposal to contribute to the writing of the 2013 NCA Sections, specifically the section on the ‘Scientific Basis for Climate Change.’  I believe I have much to offer the writing teams particularly on the scientific basis of climate change and have a great desire to contribute to this important endeavor. My own research has contributed much to understanding of some of the most important aspects of climate change and I have deep knowledge of the clouds, precipitation and aerosol effects on climate – all areas where our understanding is unsatisfactory and where clear statements about levels of understanding will need to be made in the assessment.

Results/Significance:
I can thus offer insights into climate prediction uncertainty, especially in the area that relates to precipitation and water cycle changes.