America's Climate Choices: Final Report

The National Research Council has released the final report of America’s Climate Choices. The report is available now through the National Academies Press. It includes a CD of the four panel reports of the America’s Climate Choices series as well as materials based on those reports.

Several members of the report’s authoring committee discussed the findings in A Conversation on America’s Climate Choices on May 12, 2011.

The report finds that the significant risks that climate change poses to human society and the environment provide a strong motivation to move ahead with substantial response efforts. Current efforts of local, state, and private sector actors are important, but not likely to yield progress comparable to what could be achieved with the addition of strong federal policies that establish coherent national goals and incentives, and that promote strong U.S. engagement in international-level response efforts. The inherent complexities and uncertainties of climate change are best met by applying an iterative risk management framework and making efforts to: significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; prepare for adapting to impacts; invest in scientific research, technology development, and information systems; and facilitate engagement between scientific and technical experts and the many types of stakeholders making America’s climate choices.

For the complete report, see here.