Scientists Release Independent Climate Findings Series

Why it matters locally: Given Louisiana's vulnerability to sea-level rise and extreme weather events, independent climate findings can offer crucial data for local planning and adaptation strategies, complementing official assessments that may be subject to political influence. This information is vital for the state's coastal protection efforts and the resilience of its key industries, including oil and gas, agriculture, and tourism.

WASHINGTON – A group of climate researchers and other scientists on Tuesday released the first part of a special collection of climate change findings. This publication aims to address what these researchers perceive as an information gap. More than a year ago, personnel changes occurred in the government's work on the National Climate Assessment. These changes affected hundreds of scientists contributing to the official assessment. Following these personnel changes, questions arose regarding the future process for compiling these comprehensive U.S. climate reports. Researchers involved in the new independent collection indicated their work seeks to provide additional climate information.