USGCRP
Program Elements

Atmospheric Composition

Ecosystems

Global Carbon Cycle

Decision-Support Resources Development and Related Research on Human Contributions and Responses

Climate Variability and Change

The Global
Water Cycle

Observing and Monitoring the Climate System

Communications

International Research and Cooperation

The following are some of the USGCRP's major accomplishments related to Human Dimensions of Global Change during Fiscal Year 2001:

EPA and NOAA have established ongoing regional research and assessment projects in six regions across the United States to study the effects of climate variability and change on natural and human systems.  These projects have been highly successful in analyzing the regional context of global change impacts, fostering relationships between scientists and stakeholders in the regions, and determining how research can meet stakeholder needs for water-resource planning, fisheries management, ranching, and other climate-sensitive resource management issues.

Analyses funded by DOE are showing that significant reductions in the projected cost of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide.  Just as integrated assessment analyses have shown potential reduction in costs by allowing the optimization of where and when carbon dioxide reductions can take place, new analyses project reductions in cost through the trade-off of other greenhouse gases for carbon dioxide.  Although much work remains to be done, cost curves for emissions of other gases in various sectors, such as U.S. agriculture, are being developed and incorporated into the integrated assessment analyses.