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Agriculture and Natural Resources

Feeding a growing population while protecting our planet requires sustainable approaches to agriculture, natural resources, and energy. The National Academies provide evidence-based insights on food production, crop and soil management, conservation, fisheries and ocean management, and energy sources to help secure our environmental and economic future. Explore research that addresses the complex challenges of managing our land, water, and ecosystems for generations to come.

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The Science of Extreme Event Attribution — Which Analyzes Climate Change’s Influence on Specific Weather Events — Has Advanced, But Challenges Remain

News Release

A new report from the National Academies provides a comprehensive assessment of the current capabilities of extreme event attribution (EEA) — a scientific field that analyzes whether and to what extent human-caused climate change influenced an individual extreme weather event, such as a heat wave or large-scale heavy rainfall.

Jul 15, 2026
Dry field stock photo cracked ground, small plants

U.S. Needs New Drought Assessment Framework as Droughts Become More Severe and Unpredictable

News Release

As droughts in the United States become more frequent and longer-lasting, new assessment tools are needed. A new National Academies report examines how the field of drought assessment can better account for shifting drought conditions and proposes a framework to support drought monitoring, planning, and decision-making to meet future challenges.

Jun 30, 2026
Low water levels at Oroville Lake during a drought in Oroville, California

Statement by National Academies Presidents on Importance of NSF’s Ocean Observatories Initiative

Statement

The National Science Foundation’s recent decision to begin removing the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s deep-sea infrastructure could put the U.S. at risk of not having the data needed to address crucial issues such as the impacts of El Niño, effects of ocean ecosystem change on important fisheries, and challenges to U.S. national security from greater access to the Arctic.

Jun 9, 2026
Photo to accompany NASEM presidents' statement regarding importance of the U.S. National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative. Image depicts work supported by the initiative.

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