Description:
Projected future climate-related changes include increased global temperatures, melting sea ice and glaciers, rising sea levels, increased frequency of extreme precipitation events, acidification of the oceans, modifications of growing seasons, changes in storm frequency and intensity, air quality, alterations in species’ ranges and migration patterns, earlier snowmelt, increased drought, and altered river flow volumes. Impacts from these changes are regionally diverse, and affect numerous sectors related to water, energy, transportation, forestry, tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and human health. A changing climate will alter the distribution of water resources and exacerbate human impacts on fisheries and marine ecosystems, which will result in such problems as overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, changes in species distributions, and excess nutrients in coastal waters. Increased sea levels are expected to amplify the effects of other coastal hazards as ecosystem changes increase invasions of non-native species and decrease biodiversity. The direct impact of climate change on commerce, transportation, and the economy is evidenced by retreating sea ice in the Arctic, which allows the northward expansion of commercial fisheries and provides increased access for oil and gas development, commerce, and tourism.
NOAA Objectives:
1. Improved scientific understanding of the changing climate system and its impacts
2. Assessments of current and future states of the climate system that identify potential impacts and inform decisions
3. Mitigation and adaptation efforts supported by sustained, reliable, and timely climate services
4. A climate-literate public that understands its vulnerabilities to a changing climate and makes informed decisions
Examples of appropriate topic areas for research applications from small businesses include, but are not limited to the following:
• Tools that support the development of comprehensive knowledge of greenhouse gases and other climate forcing agents
• Improved climate observing and monitoring systems
• Advances in climate modeling that lead to improved scientific understanding and a new generation of climate predictions and projections on global to regional scales
• Technologies that facilitate quantification of short- to long-term outlooks and projections of Arctic sea ice
• Technologies that facilitate the identification of potential climate impacts and vulnerabilities and inform the development of useful climate services
• Tools that help communities better prepare for, adapt, and respond to drought and flooding or manage water resources
• Technologies that facilitate a better understanding of the risks of sea level rise, changes in Great Lakes hydrology and water levels, and other climate impacts
• Tools that help living marine resource managers prepare for and respond to the impacts of a changing climate, ocean acidification, and other climate impacts, and develop management strategies for marine ecosystem conditions
• Products or services that help decision makers prepare for and adapt to climate extremes, including deviations in temperatures and precipitation patterns
• Tools that facilitate understanding of climate risks by key segments of society and/or support increased resilience to likely climate impacts
• Products and services that support educators and other outreach professionals to increase comprehension and use of climate science concepts and education resources
