NOAA scientists to share research and resiliency tools at international climate meeting

Presentations by Amanda McCarty and Libby Jewett to be web-streamed live from Lima, Peru

Several NOAA scientists will present information on climate research and new tools to build greater resiliency to climate change at a meeting on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Lima, Peru, that will run from December 1-12.

Countries that are party to the United Nations Framework Convention will meet for the 20^th year since the treaty went into force in 1994 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These meetings are held to evaluate how the convention is being applied and to develop the negotiation process between the parties in advance of new commitments.  

As part of what is called the Conference of the Parties 20 or COP20, the U.S. Center, a public outreach initiative of the Department of State, offers a program to inform audiences about U.S. actions and strategies on climate change. NOAA scientists will take part in this program, which is open to the public at the conference with several sessions offered online from Lima.

NOAA speakers will present on  efforts to provide training to countries  in weather and climate forecasting, the new United States government Climate Resilience Toolkit , why ocean acidification is a compelling reason to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, predicting climate extremes and ways to sequester carbon in coastal ecosystems to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Please see list of NOAA presentations, dates, times and summaries below. Powerpoints for each talk will be posted by the day of each talk. Talks by Libby Jewett, director of NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program, and Amanda McCarty of NOAA's Climate Program Office will be web streamed live. Click here for information on all talks that will be web-streamed live.

Tuesday, Dec. 2:

11:00 AM – Noon ET: Building Resilience through Weather and Climate Forecasting

                                 Wassila Thiaw, NOAA National Weather Service - Climate Prediction Center, College Park, Maryland, USA

                                 Summary:  Thiaw will describe how NOAA is working with the international community to provide essential technical weather and climate forecasting training to developing and emerging countries to enhance resilience and enable adaptation.  NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) operates an International Desk to provide this training to participating countries. See attached powerpoint pdf below.

4:00 -5:00 PM ET:   Climate Resilience Toolkit: Tools to Understand and Manage Climate Risks

                                 David Herring, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research- Climate Program Office, Silver Spring, Maryland& Doug Marcy, NOAA/National Ocean Service-Office of Coastal Management, Charleston, South Carolina

                                 Summary: Herring and Marcy will provide an overview of the United States Government’s recent effort to create a Climate Resilience Toolkit (http://toolkit.climate.gov/) as part of the President's Climate Action Plan.  The event will start with an introduction to this new resource and provide demonstrations of tools in the toolkit and examples of how they are being applied, including tools on coastal flood risk, and food security.  See attached powerpoint pdf below.

Wednesday, Dec. 3:

1:30 – 2:30 PM ET: What Goes into the Air, Goes into the Ocean

                                 Libby Jewett, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research -Ocean Acidification Program, Silver Spring, Maryland

                                 Summary: Jewett and five other presenters, will make the case in six, informative and entertaining five minute talks, that ocean acidification is a compelling reason to reduce carbon dioxide emissions as soon as possible. In addition to Jewett, the international group of presenters include: David Osborne, UN International Atomic Energy Agency of Austria; Carol Turley of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the United Kingdom; Nelson Lagos, University of Concepcion in Chile; Laura Ramajo Gallardo, University of Concepcion in Chile; and Natalya Gallo of Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California.

                                  See attached powerpoint pdf below.

Friday, Dec. 5:

4:00 – 5:00 PM ET:  Acidity on the Half Shell: Vulnerability and Response of Oyster Industry along the U.S. West Coast

                                 Libby Jewett, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research -Ocean Acidification Program, Silver Spring, Maryland

                                 Summary: The presenter will discuss the vulnerability of the U.S. oyster industry to ocean acidification along the U.S. West Coast, and how scientists are working with oyster growers to reduce their vulnerability to this threat. This presentation will take place in the Peru Pavillion. 

Monday, Dec. 8

1:30 – 2:30 PM ET: Predicting Regional Climate Extremes

                                 V. Ramaswamy, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research -Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey, Berrien Moore, Director, Department of Interior Southwest Regional Climate Center and Dean of College of  Atmospheric & Geographic Studies, University Of Oklahoma. Wayne Higgins, NOAA Director of Climate Program Office

                                 Summary: Ramaswamy will provide an overview as to how NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory research, using state-of-the-art numerical models of the Earth System, is leading to improvements in our understanding and prediction of regional climate phenomena and extremes such as variations in sea-surface temperature and biogeochemical properties (e.g., chlorophyll), intercontinental transport of dust and other particulates, and seasonal forecasts of temperature and precipitation.  Moore (calling in from the USA), will discuss climate variations and change, with emphasis on needs for regional climate prediction and information. Higgins (calling in from the USA), will discuss progress and prospects for North American Multi-Model Ensemble Prediction Systems.

4:00 – 5:00 PM ET: Coastal Climate Services: Blue Carbon and Green Infrastructure

                                 Amanda McCarty, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research -Climate Program Office, Silver Spring, Maryland

                                 Summary: There is increasing interest around the world in preserving and restoring coastal ecosystems for the purpose of mitigating and adapting to climate change. In addition to the many benefits coastal ecosystems provide to help improve coastal resilience, including storm and erosion protection, McCarty will highlight the previously unrecognized benefits that coastal ecosystems provide to mitigate the effects of climate change by sequestering and storing large amounts of carbon known as “blue carbon.” The presentation will also highlight the efforts of the U.S. government and some key partners to better understand and manage the climate services provided by coastal blue carbon ecosystems in the United States and overseas.

                                 This presentation will delivered in-person at the US Center and will be web-streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUSCenter

For more information on the U.S. Center:

http://www.state.gov/e/oes/climate/cop20/index.htm