Progress 11/15/22 to 11/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The National Climate Change Roadmap (NCCR) targets three main audiences: scientists, educators, and scholars. Its primary focus is on addressing climate change impacts in agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. For scientists, the NCCR aims to cultivate and advance system-based innovations that bridge biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines to build system resiliency to climate change. It also emphasizes the development of strategic, sustainable, and regenerative agricultural practices. For educators, the NCCR highlights the importance of strategic communications to engage and inform stakeholders about climate change impacts and mitigation/adaptation measures. It also emphasizes participatory research processes that bridge fundamental research to producer knowledge and experience. For scholars, the NCCR encourages socioeconomic and policy research to develop and evaluate models that assess the impacts of markets, consumption patterns, and food systems on human well-being under a changing climate. Changes/Problems:The Horizon Scan process was designed to be impartial in its outcomes, aiming to generate, refine, and prioritize future scientific needs. Interestingly, the results revealed an unexpected emphasis from Working Group members. Rather than focusing on specific scientific areas, participants highlighted the importance of overarching principles, such as the need for systems-based approaches and considerations about how science is conducted, including the use of participatory research methods. This shift in focus was equally significant as the identification of specific scientific domains. As a result, this report not only presents the focal thematic areas but also introduces a set of guiding principles derived from the Horizon Scan process. These principles serve to inform and direct the approach to the identified thematic areas, emphasizing the importance of both what science is needed and how it should be conducted. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Scientists from non-Land Grant Universities (LGUs) from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of careers. Emphasis was on early career investigators. The report mentions that the 61 experts in the Working Group represented 51 institutions from across the U.S. This diverse representation likely included scientists from non-LGUs, broadening the perspective beyond traditional agricultural research institutions. Creating new collaborations: The Horizon Scan methodology, which brought together 61 experts from 51 institutions, inherently created opportunities for new collaborations. The process of discussing and synthesizing insights across disciplines and institutions would have fostered connections between participants who may not have worked together previously. Interdisciplinary exposure: The Working Group included experts from a wide range of disciplines, including social and biophysical sciences. This interdisciplinary nature of the project provided opportunities for scientists to engage with and learn from colleagues in other fields, potentially expanding their professional networks and knowledge base. Exposure to innovative methodologies: Participation in the Horizon Scan process itself could be considered a professional development opportunity, as it exposed participants to an innovative visioning and priority-setting methodology that they could potentially apply in their future work. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Erin Jackson Presentations: American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, December 10, 2023, San Francisco, CA American Association of the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting, February 16, 2024, Denver, CO (E. Jackson) Eugene F. Kelly Presentations: National Climate Change Roadmap - Climate Change Science and Agriculture. The Joint Meeting 1890 Extension and Research, Nashville, TN, April 26, 2024 National Climate Change Road Map - The Role of the 1890 Universities, AEA-ARD Joint Winter Business Meeting, January 25, 2024. National Climate Change Roadmap - Supporting the Board on Natural and Agricultural Resources, National Academy of Sciences, December 5, 2023. National Climate Change Roadmap - Framework for Water Monitoring, U.S. National Committee on Irrigation and Water Management, Fort Colins, CO, October 19, 2023. National Climate Change Roadmap, Association of Public Land Grant Universities, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, November 14, 2023. Jan E. Leach Presentations: National Academy of Sciences Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dec 5, 2023, Washington, DC Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) Annual Meeting, Nov 13, 2023, Seattle, WA USDA-NIFA, ARS staff, Jan 11, 2024, Webinar National Academy of Sciences, Climate working group, April 26-28, 2024, Wash DC APS Plant Health meetings, HOT TOPIC: The Role of Plant Health in the National Climate Change Roadmap; July 10, 2024, Memphis, TN Pests and Climate Workshop (NIFA sponsored; organized by Martin Draper), Dec 2-3, 2024, Washington DC What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project successfully developed the National Climate Change Roadmap (NCCR) using the Horizon Scanning methodology. Key accomplishments include: Engaging 61 experts in a Working Group to provide 84 initial science insights Distilling these insights into 24 refined exemplary insights Identifying 7 focal cross-cutting thematic areas to guide future research and funding priorities. Developing 9 guiding principles for climate change research. Developing an Implementation Plan: While not explicitly called an "Implementation Plan", the NCCR provides a comprehensive framework for guiding future research, policy, and funding decisions. A visual representation of how the thematic areas and guiding principles interact in a systems-based approach. Detailed exemplary insights within each thematic area to guide specific research questions and approaches. Emphasis on participatory research processes and co-creation with end-users to ensure actionable outcomes.
Publications
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Progress 11/15/22 to 11/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Our overarching objective was to cater to a diverse range of stakeholders, including scientists, science and educational administrators, students, educators, legislative assistants, and legislators. Specifically, our goal was to assist teams of researchers in prioritizing their own research efforts and developing new integrated research programs. Moreover, we aimed to provide valuable guidance for policymakers seeking to support and steer agricultural research needs in the years to come. Our efforts also extended to aiding funding agencies and other organizations in strategically directing their investments and resources to bolster agricultural science. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The NCCR project helped to facilitate the establishment and oversight of a National Climate Change Working Group (NCCWG) at Colorado State University (CSU). The NCCWG played a pivotal role in identifying crucial and time-sensitive research, extension, education, and engagement initiatives. These efforts will be broadly focused on shaping a National Climate Change Roadmap (NCCR), imperative for addressing pivotal climate change challenges in agriculture through nationally funded science programs spanning the next decade. Additionally, the proposal includes provisions to support a Ph.D. student and enables early career scientists to actively participate in a workshop of national significance. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The NCCR project successfully initiated the creation and management of a National Climate Change Working Group (NCCWG) at Colorado State University (CSU). The NCCWG played a key role in pinpointing essential research, extension, education, and engagement initiatives, forming the basis for a National Climate Change Roadmap (NCCR). This roadmap, vital for addressing pivotal climate change challenges in agriculture over the next decade, was published and disseminated. Multiple presentations utilized the insights gained from the horizon scan process to provide guidance to scientists. This valuable information reached diverse institutions involved in Climate Change Sciences, offering support and resources for their endeavors. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the upcoming year, our focus will be on further developing materials and disseminating information to both the scientific community and the public. This effort aims to foster the implementation and utilization of the National Climate Change Roadmap (NCCR) report. Building on the successful initiation of the National Climate Change Working Group (NCCWG) at Colorado State University (CSU), we are committed to enhancing support for essential research, extension, education, and engagement initiatives. The NCCR, a critical guide for addressing key climate change challenges in agriculture over the next decade, will continue to be a valuable resource. Our ongoing activities will involve sharing insights gained from the horizon scan process through multiple presentations, providing guidance to scientists and contributing to the broader dissemination of information for the benefit of the community at large.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This NCCR document was derived from a horizon scan of important insights emerging from advances in integrated research related to climate change over the past 10 years (focusing on findings in published research). The objective of this horizon scan is two- fold. First, through expert elicitation we attempt to identify the most important overarching themes that are supported with key Scientific Insights from a diverse group of experts, Second, this horizon scan constitutes an effort to provide new discoveries and an integrated synthesis of key research outputs and how these add up into broader science-based insights that should guide climate research, extension, education, and outreach. Below are seven Focal Cross-Cutting Areas and associated exemplary insights derived from our NCCRWG meetings and activities. These cross-cutting areas are intended to inspire new approaches to studying, managing, and promoting practices that address the complexities at the intersection of climate change science and agriculture. Systems-based innovations: Cultivate and advance systems-based innovations and approaches that bridge biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines to build system resiliency to climate change. Participatory holistic research processes: Co-create a research continuum that bridges fundamental research to producer knowledge, practice, and experience and incorporates principles of environmental and social justice. Mitigation and adaptation through ecosystem management: Adapt to and/or mitigate the impacts of climate change across diverse environments and production systems via science-based management opportunities. (Forestry/Cropping/Livestock/Urban Systems) Climate-smart water resource management: Address earth system interactions and the growing challenges created with increasing agricultural water demand. Energy smart agriculture and technology integration: Integrate new energy technologies into diverse production systems to help achieve carbon neutrality. Strategic, sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices: Develop and promote practices that improve biodiversity and ecosystem health while strengthening resiliency to climate change. Socioeconomic and policy research: Develop and evaluate models that assess impacts of markets, consumption patterns, socioeconomic conditions, and food systems on human well-being under a changing climate. This horizon scan exercise in climate change research identified and integrated seven novel scientific themes that yielded fresh insights, addressing climate change through a holistic approach that incorporates principles of practice, regenerative approaches, new technologies, and social justice and inclusion aspects, all of which have historically received limited attention.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
National Climate Roadmap Working Group. 2023. National Climate Change Roadmap: A Research Framework for U.S. Agriculture, Forestry, and Working Lands. Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Mountain Scholar. 56 pp. https://doi.org/10.25675/10217/237190.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Jackson, E., Leach, L.E., Schultz, C., and G. Kelly. Agriculture and Climate Change Research Priorities for the Next Decade: Outcomes of a Systematic Horizon Scan. American Geophysical National Meetings, San Francisco, CA, December 15, 2023.
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