USGS Office of Global Change: Welcome

What is Climate Change?

The USGS strives to understand how the earth works and to anticipate changes in how the earth functions. To accomplish this, USGS science aims to understand the interrelationships among earth surface processes, ecological systems, and human activities. This includes understanding current changes in the context of pre-historic and recent earth processes, distinguishing between natural and human-influenced changes, and recognizing ecological and physical responses to changes in climate. Learn more

images of a dust storm, floating ice, hurricane, earthshot, factory pollution, erupting volcano

Information on USGS Climate Change Activities

Topics

Ecosystems
Sea-Level Change
Ecosystem and Climate History in Alaska
Glacier and Landscape Change in Response to Changing Climate
- Glacier Studies
Permafrost
Carbon Sequestration
Coral Mortality and African Dust
Climate Impacts on Species
Fire Science
Energy Resources
Drought
Health Risks
Wildlife

Publications

Publication cover for Our Changing Planet

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Links of Interest

USGS

Other Federal Agencies

Other Links of Interest

USA National Phenology Network

News

Glacial Change in Response to Changing Climate new item

DOI Climate Change Task Force Draft Subcommittee Reports

Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)

The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) that integrates federal research on climate and global change.

CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAP) -- The CCSP Strategic Plan calls for the development of a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAP) to be managed by 13 participating agencies. The USGS is responsible for 3 of the SAPs.
SAP 1.2: Post Climate Variability and Change in the Arctic and at High Latitudes
- News Release
- Final Report

SAP 3.4: Abrupt Climate Change
- News Release
- Final Report
- Brochure (6.3MB PDF)

SAP 4.2: Thresholds of Climate Change in Ecosystems
- News Release
- Final Report

Climate Change: The Science of Impacts

New Polar Bear Finding

Newly-released USGS information from 9 recent studies presents relationships of polar bears to present and future sea ice environments.

U.S. Congressional Briefing Series --Climate Change

USGS Climate Change Science: Exploring the Past, Observing the Present, Forecasting the Future

News Releases

Additional Climate Change News Releases

Check out our Podcasts:

Help Us Keep an Eye on Climate Change -- Learn more, and find out how YOU can help us by observing the world around you from USGS scientist Jake Weltzin, Director of the National Phenology Network.
How Abrupt Can Climate Change Be? -- USGS Associate Program Coordinator for the Office of Global Change John McGeehin discusses a new report on the potential for abrupt climate changes from global warming during this century.
Arctic Heats Up More than Other Places --USGS scientist Joan Fitzpatrick discusses a new report on past climate variability and change in the Arctic.
Farming Carbon to Help the Atmosphere and the Land -- Learn more from USGS bio-geochemist Robin Miller about how this could help California, the nation, and the world.

Additional Podcasts

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.usgs.gov/global_change/default.asp
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Page Last Modified: Wednesday, January 20, 2010