This is a recorded audiobook reading of the summary chapter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment titled, “Overview: Understanding risks, impacts, and responses.” Listeners can also read the Overview chapter on the NCA5 website.

For navigation purposes, the episode is split into chapters, corresponding to the 5 major sections of the Overview. Those sections are:

• Section 1: How the United States is Addressing Climate Change (starts at 01:28)

• Section 2: How the United States is Experiencing Climate Change (starts at 13:00)

• Section 3: Current and Future Climate Risks to the United States (starts at 22:04)

• Section 4: The Choices That Will Determine the Future, and (starts at 48:26)

• Section 5: How Climate Action Can Create a More Resilient and Just Nation. (starts at 56:11)

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Companion Podcast is a limited series intended to introduce the report, showcase the perspectives of NCA5 authors and staff, and demonstrate how the Assessment can help inform decisions.

NCA5, which was released in fall 2023, is the US. Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation across the Nation. It is a congressionally mandated, interagency effort that brings together hundreds of experts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as the academic, non-profit, and private sectors.

Credits:

Narrator: Chris Avery, NCA Chief of Staff

Producers: Chris Avery, Allison Crimmins

Editing, Mixing, and Scoring: Mallory Hinks

Additional support: Allyza Lustig, Laurie Howell, Aaron Grade, and Michael Kuperberg

Music: AudioCoffee

Cover image: Chris Avery

Financial support: NSF

This podcast is produced by the US Global Change Research Program. All rights reserved.

Additional links:

• Read the NCA5 Overview chapter at nca2023.globalchange.gov.

• For more information on future NCA and USGCRP work, sign up for our newsletter at https://www.globalchange.gov/newsletter-signup

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Companion Podcast is a limited series intended to introduce the report, showcase the perspectives of NCA5 authors and staff, and demonstrate how the Assessment can help inform decisions.

Bonus Episode! Art has the ability to capture the imagination and communicate lived experiences in profound ways. In this episode, we discuss the major art-related efforts of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) with the artists themselves. First, we are joined by the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, who reads her NCA5 poem “Startlement.” Ada discusses what artists and scientists have in common and how deeply intertwined art and science can be. 

NCA5 Director Allison Crimmins is also joined by USGCRP Senior Staff Manager Allyza Lustig for a behind the scenes look at the NCA5 Art x Climate initiative. This first-of-its-kind effort is a significant achievement of NCA5, and Allyza explains how it evolved and why, as well as the impact it had even before the NCA5 was released. We are also joined by Tammy West and Simona Clausnitzer, two of the award-winning artists, who explain their artworks and reasons for contributing to Art x Climate.

NCA5, which was released in fall 2023, is the US. Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation across the Nation. It is a congressionally mandated, interagency effort that brings together hundreds of experts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as the academic, non-profit, and private sectors.

Credits:

Producers: Chris Avery, Allison Crimmins

Host: Allison Crimmins

Editing, Mixing, and Scoring: Mallory Hinks

Additional support: Allyza Lustig, Laurie Howell, Aaron Grade, and Michael Kuperberg

Music: AudioCoffee

Cover image: Chris Avery

Poetry: Ada Limón

Financial support: NSF

This podcast is produced by the US Global Change Research Program. The perspectives shared by the participants do not represent official positions of the United States Government. All rights reserved. 

Additional links:

• Fifth National Climate Assessment: https://www.nca2023.globalchange.gov

• “Startlement”, a poem by Ada Limón for NCA5: https://nca2023.globalchange.gov/chapter/front-matter/

• Art x Climate gallery: https://www.nca2023.globalchange.gov/art-climate/

• US Global Change Research Program: https://www.globalchange.gov

• For more information on future NCA and USGCRP work, sign up for our newsletter at https://www.globalchange.gov/newsletter-signup.

• Read about Ada Limón’s poetry collaboration project with the National Park Service, “You are Here”: https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/u.s.-poet-laureate-ada-lim-n-to-publish-anthology--bring-poetry-to-national-parks-as-part-of-signatu/s/daf3ca32-cdff-49e0-9109-c2d9ba66c3b1

The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Companion Podcast is a limited series intended to introduce the report, showcase the perspectives of NCA5 authors and staff, and demonstrate how the Assessment can help inform decisions.

In this final episode of our series, we examine the evolution of climate science and look to the future. What opportunities does the NCA5 reveal, and what challenges can it help you overcome? How can people use the National Climate Assessments as they face future risks? We’ll discuss how the NCA can be a tool to address climate change and how you can be a part of a brighter, safer future.

Guests include:

• Dave Reidmiller, Author, Northeast chapter;

• Zeke Hausfather, Author, Climate Trends chapter;

• Julian Reyes, Deputy Director for Climate Services at USGCRP;

• Rebecca Dodder, federal Coordinating Lead Author, Mitigation chapter;

• AR Siders, Author, Adaptation chapter; and

• Michael Kuperberg, Executive Director of the US Global Change Research Program.

NCA5, which was released in fall 2023, is the US. Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation across the Nation. It is a congressionally mandated, interagency effort that brings together hundreds of experts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as the academic, non-profit, and private sectors.

Credits:

Producers: Chris Avery, Allison Crimmins

Host: Allison Crimmins

Editing, Mixing, and Scoring: Mallory Hinks

Additional support: Allyza Lustig, Laurie Howell, Aaron Grade, and Michael Kuperberg

Music: AudioCoffee

Cover image: Chris Avery

Poetry: Ada Limón

Financial support: NSF

This podcast is produced by the US Global Change Research Program. The perspectives shared by the participants do not represent official positions of the United States Government. All rights reserved. 

Additional links:

• Fifth National Climate Assessment: https://www.nca2023.globalchange.gov

• NCA5 Atlas: https://atlas.globalchange.gov

• US Global Change Research Program: https://www.globalchange.gov

• Explore the last National Climate Assessment (NCA4): https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/ 

• For more information on future NCA and USGCRP work, sign up for our newsletter at https://www.globalchange.gov/newsletter-signup