THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Ocean Studies Board
and
Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate
Committee on Sustaining Ocean Observations to Understand Future Changes in Earth’s Climate
*****
Congressional Briefing
Thu, Nov 16, 2017
468 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. – 3:00 p.m.
on
Sustaining Ocean Observations to Understand Future Changes in Earth's Climate
The ocean covers about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and plays a key role in the climate and its variability. Though challenging, it is essential to consistently collect ocean observations across decades to monitor the Earth’s main reservoirs of heat, carbon dioxide, and water and to provide a critical record of long-term change over multiple time scales.
This new report, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, discusses the current approaches to sustained ocean observations, identifies challenges to maintaining long-term observations of the ocean related to climate change, and recommends avenues for potential improvement.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on October 20, 2017 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.