When the headlines announce a new finding about the state of our planet’s well-being, chances are good that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be mentioned in the story as a funding source for some or all of the research. The extent of NSF’s involvement in climate research is reported in a new publication titled Climate Change.  

In 114 illustrated pages, the agency reports on findings and ongoing projects in six broad categories –  sky, sea, ice, land, life, and people. In the introduction, it notes: “Researchers funded by NSF have discovered signs of a changing climate in nearly every corner of the globe, from the icy expanses of Earth’s polar regions to its equatorial ecosystems.” Putting the pieces of this research together requires studying “all of the physical, natural and human systems that contribute to and interact with Earth’s climate system.” 

In each category, the report gives background on the subject plus a description of major programs and research highlights.

Climate Change is online in both pdf and text-only versions.

The work of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears  in providing teaching materials about the polar regions is supported under a grant from the National Science Foundation.