WERA102: Climate Data and Analyses for Applications in Agriculture and Natural Resources
Statement of Issues and Justification
Climate change, drought, and pronounced natural climate variability pose major challenges to agriculture and natural resource management in the western United States. In turn, climate informationhistorical, real-time and prognosticis vital for the optimal and sustainable provision of these resources. The use of climate information is a key component of decision support tools, programs, technologies, and practices that protect and enhance water, soil, and air. Likewise, legislation and policy must incorporate knowledge of climate variability and change if we hope to maintain the stability and long-term viability of agriculture, water, timber and other goods and services in the West.Currently climate data and information are collected by a wide range of Federal, state and local agencies, as well as many non-governmental organizations. This information is then stored and distributed in myriad ways, and accessing relevant and reliable climate-related products has become a major obstacle for the agriculture and natural resource communities. Communication among the various agencies and organizations responsible for this information is becoming increasingly important as a means to avoid duplicating climate-data collection efforts and for disseminating products that best meet stakeholder needs. State Climatologists (SCs) and NOAA Regional Climate Centers (RCCs) can fill some of these coordination needs at the state and regional level, and the National Climatic Data Center performs similarbut limitedfunctions at the national level. The proposed NOAA National Climate Service and other federal initiatives may also address these gaps. However, these efforts are still in the planning stages and, practically speaking, years from entering useful service. As a result, there is a pressing need in the western US to enhance cooperation and coordination, and to address issues that SCs and RCCs working alone are not well-equipped to tackle. Critical areas for further development include 1) the creation of internet-based tools that allow users to access data and information from multiple groups and agencies simultaneously; 2) research into the relationships among weather, climate, agriculture and natural resources in the context of changing land-use and shifting regional economies and demographics; 3) development of analytical forecast tools and summary products aimed specifically at agriculture and natural resources; 4) technology transfer that takes data and research on climate variability and change and places it in the hands of the policymakers, water managers, land managers, extension personnel, engineers, growers and ranchers that need it. In time, legacy programs and resources will also need to be integrated into local, state, and federal efforts currently under development.
Towards these ends, the Western Extension Research Activity (WERA)-102 committee has served, and continues to serve, a critical function in ensuring coordination and cooperation among the many and varied groups responsible for producing climate data, climate-related information and products in the West. In times of increasingly tight budgets, WERA-102 is playing an increasing role in ensuring the sustainability and economic viability of the networks and partnerships responsible for creating and distributing these products. Given the significant economic impacts from adverse weather and climate variability and change, it is also prudent that the committee continue to serve as a focal point for ensuring the persistence of strong weather and climate research and applications programs in the West. In short, this committee serves as a forum for coordination, discussion and prioritization of data collection, research and applications, as well as a platform to promote the efficient use of limited resources and to ensure our collective ability meet stakeholder needs.
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