Internet Resources on Climate Change

Electronic Resources Accessible from DOI Locations Only

Department of the Interior employees are offered access to this database at their desktops; employees who are teleworking may access it through the Department's VPN. Others must contact a Reference Librarian for assistance.​
 

• EBSCO Online includes the GreenFILE database, with content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.
   
• Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change
  The link will open the Gale Virtual Reference Library. The Encyclopedia of Global Warming and Climate Change can be found under the 'Environment' tab.
   
• Gale In Context: Environmental Studies
   

Web Sites on Climate Change 

News 

• The Daily Climate 
  The Daily Climate publishes reports on unheralded and often overlooked aspects of climate science, along with a daily compilation of news about climate change from mainstream media sources around the world.
• Environmental News Network (ENN): Climate
  The Environmental News Network gathers, selects and publishes environmental news from a variety of sources.
• New York Times, Climate and Environment
• Washington Post: Energy and Environment
• Climate Feedback
  Climate Feedback is a worldwide network of scientists sorting fact from fiction in climate change media coverage. Its goal is to help readers know which news to trust.
   

Science

The Fundamentals

• Climate Resources at the National Academies (Science, Engineering, Medicine)
• Encyclopedia of Earth: Climate Change
• "Evolving Assessments of Human and Natural Contributions to Climate Change," by Jane A. Leggett, Congressional Research Service, August 11, 2021 (R45086)
• Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
  Global Climate Change is a multimedia Web site featuring photographs, movies, animations, interactive graphics, and other presentations of NASA's research into climate change.
• National Climate Assessment
  Assessments have been integral components of US Global Change Research Program since its inception. It has a legal mandate to conduct a National Climate Assessment (NCA) every four years. The Fifth National Climate Assessment was released in November 2023.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts. Most IPCC Reports published since 1997 are available online. Of special interest are the IPCC's Assessment Reports, which are published at regular intervals. The Sixth Assessment Report was completed in 2023. 
• Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years
  By the Committee on Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years, National Research Council, 2006. The book assesses scientific efforts to reconstruct surface temperature records and their implications for understanding global climate change.
• United States Global Change Research Program
  The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates and integrates Federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society.
   

Further Explorations in Science

• Arctic Report Card
  Produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Arctic Report Card tracks recent environmental changes throughout the Arctic, and is updated annually.
• Climate Change: The Discovery of Global Warming
  By historian Spencer Weart, who is director, Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics. The essays cover the entire history of the discovery of climate change, from the late 19th century to today.
• Climate Change: A Guide to the Information and Disinformation
  Produced by the Society of Environmental Journalists
• Greenhouse Gas Bulletin
  Published annually by the Atmospheric Environment and Research Division of the World Meteorological Organization, these bulletins report the latest trends and atmospheric burdens of the most influential, long-lived greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as a summary of the contributions of the lesser gases.
• RealClimate
  RealClimate is a blog by working climate scientists that aims to provide journalists and the public a quick response to developing stories and to provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream journalistic commentary. The discussion is restricted to scientific topics and will not get involved in any political or economic implications of the science.
   

Climate Data Sources 

• Climate Change Indicators in the United States
  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed more than 50 climate change indicators that show changes over time and include more than 100 figures as graphs and maps.
• Climate Watch (formerly CAIT Climate Data Explorer)
  Climate Watch offers open data, visualizations and analysis to help policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders gather insights on countries' climate progress.
• Earthdata
  The Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program provides full and open access to NASA’s collection of Earth science data that is interactive, interoperable, and accessible for research and societal benefit.
• National Snow and Ice Data Center
• NOAA Climate.gov
  The ultimate goal for the portal is to become the "go-to" website for NOAA's climate data, products, and services. It initially focuses on several datasets and products from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, Coastal Services Center, and Climate Prediction Center, among others. The initial intent is to highlight some of most popular datasets and products. 
• NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
  NOAA’s former three data centers—the National Climatic Data Center, the National Geophysical Data Center, and the National Oceanographic Data Center, which includes the National Coastal Data Development Center—have merged into the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).  NCEI is responsible for hosting and providing access to one of the most significant archives on Earth, with comprehensive oceanic, atmospheric, and geophysical data. From the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun and from million-year-old sediment records to near real-time satellite images, NCEI is the Nation’s leading authority for environmental information.
   

Conservation in an Era of Climate Change (Adaptation)

• Adapting to Climate Change: A Short Course for Land Managers
  Produced by the U.S. Forest Service, this course includes video lectures from a July 2008 workshop at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest that brought together U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey scientists, and resource managers who served as reviewers and discussants.
• Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange (CAKE)
  Access adaptation case studies, virtual library resources, a directory of adaptation practitioners, and a database of relevant tools on this comprehensive website. Users can also participate in community forums or contribute resources.
• Climate Adaptation Science Centers
  Located within the U.S. Geological Survey, the Climate Adaptation Science Centers were established by Congress in 2008 to help deliver scientific and technical information to help natural resource managers cope with a changing climate.
• Climate Change Adaptation: What Federal Agencies Are Doing
  Report by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (February 2012 update)
• Climate Change and Water Resources Management: A Federal Perspective
  By Levi D. Brekke and others. The purpose of this interagency report prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is to explore strategies to improve water management by tracking, anticipating, and responding to climate change.
• Climate Change Resource Center of the U.S. Forest Service
  The Climate Change Resource Center is for resource managers and decision-makers who need information and tools to address climate change in planning and project implementation. The site offers educational information, including basic science modules that explain climate and climate impacts, decision-support models, maps, simulations, case studies, and toolkits.
• Climate Friendly Parks Program of the U.S. National Park Service
• Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States
  Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, 2008; convening lead authors: Peter Backlund, Anthony Janetos, and David Schimel; managing editor: Margaret Walsh. This is part of a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products to inform public debate, policy, and operational decisions.
• Effects of Climate Change on Energy Production and Use in the United States
  A 2008 report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Global Change Research
• FedCenter: Climate Change Adaptation Program Area
  Through adaptation planning, an agency can identify how climate change is likely to impact its ability to achieve its mission, operate, or meet its policy and program objectives. This site contains links to regulations, guidance, and policy documents, supporting information and tools, including databases, software, libraries, organizations, and programs, training, presentations, and events.
• Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
  Determining which species of fish and wildlife are most vulnerable enables managers to better set priorities for conservation action, while understanding why they are vulnerable provides a basis for developing appropriate management and conservation responses.
   

Preventing Climate Change

Policy-Oriented Sources

• U.S. Climate Change Policy
  By the Congressional Research Service, October 28, 2021 (R46947) 
• Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal Dimensions. By the National Academy of Sciences, 2023 
• Climate Change in the Courts: A 2023 Retrospective 
  By Maria Antonia Tigre and Margaret Barry, Columbia Law School, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law 
• Climate Change Litigation Databases
  This site provides two databases of climate change case law. The Global database includes all cases except those in the U.S.  Cases in the databases are organized by type of claim and are searchable. For many cases, links are available to decisions, complaints, and other case documents. Provided by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School.
• Federal Climate Change Programs: Funding History and Policy Issues
  By the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, March 2010
• Federal Climate Policy
  By Resources for the Future
• Informing Decisions in a Changing Climate
  By the National Research Council's Panel on Strategies and Methods for Climate-Related Decision Support, 2009
• Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the United States
  By the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, May 2009
• Preparing for Our Common Future: Policy Choices and the Economics of Climate Change
  Goldman Lecture in Economics, Wellesley College, October 27, 2008, by Peter Orszag, Director, Congressional Budget Office
• "U.S. Climate Change Regulation and Litigation: Selected Legal Issues" 
  By Linda Tsang, Congressional Research Service, April 3, 2017 
• U.S. Climate Regulation Database 
  This is a database of regulations and other actions by federal agencies that are relevant to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The database includes links to archived versions of proposed and final regulations as well as technical support documents, regulatory impact analyses, agency guidance, and other relevant resources. Provided by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School.
• U.S. State Climate Action Plans 
  Compiled by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 2023
   

Intergovernmental Cooperation

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Process and Meetings
• Backgrounder: Global Climate Agreements: Successes and Failures
  By Lindsay Maizland, Council on Foreign Relations, 2023. This timeline tracks UN climate talks since 1992. 
• COP Dispatch: What Congress Needs to Know from the U.N. Climate Talks
  COP Dispatch is published daily during the two-week United Nations climate talks (COP) that take place every year. The newsletter covers new announcements and U.S. happenings on the ground.
   

Other Sources on Climate Policy

• Climate Science & Policy Watch
  A non-profit public interest education and advocacy project, Climate Science & Policy Watch investigates and diagnoses the use and misuse of climate change research and assessments in U.S. national politics and policymaking.
• Council on Foreign Relations: Climate Change
• Environmental and Energy Study Institute Climate Change Solutions
  This newsletter is published every two weeks. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus dedicated to finding innovative environmental and energy solutions.
• Global Change Magazine
  The magazine of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Global Change highlights its research and includes articles that link science, society and policy. It has been published quarterly since 1989, and formerly was known as the IGBP Newsletter.
   

Organizations

• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (c2es)
  Formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization that aims to provide credible information and innovative solutions that address global climate change.
• The Climate Institute
  The Climate Institute is an international NGO of scientists and policy leaders concerned with climate change and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer, and has organized conferences, symposia, and ministerial briefings in thirty nations. The Institute's newsletter, the Climate Alert, is a source for policy makers on the likely impacts of climate change in the U.S. and abroad.
• ICLEI-USA: Local Governments for Sustainability
  ICLEI-USA provides the most widely used standards and software tools for local climate action, and more than 1,000 local governments around the world have utilized its Five Milestones frameworks. Through partnerships, its frameworks and tools have been institutionalized into state-level climate policy. It has also provided leadership in linking local governments to global policy processes and multilateral environmental agreements.
• Natural Resources Defense Council: Climate Crisis
  The well-respected environmental action organization offers literature on the causes and consequences of global warming, and on possible solutions.
• Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative
• Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University
• Union of Concerned Scientists: Climate Change
   

Open Access Journals on Climate Change
 

Advances in climate change research
eISSN: 1674-9278    Peer Reviewed
2010 to the present

Climate of the past
ISSN: 1814-9324   Peer Reviewed
2005 to the present 

Climate policy
ISSN: 1469-3062  Peer Reviewed
2006 to the present 

Climate risk management
eISSN: 2212-0963  Peer Reviewed
2014 to the present 

Climate services
eISSN: 2405-8807  Peer Reviewed
2016 to the present 

Journal of climate
ISSN: 0894-8755  Peer Reviewed
1988 to the present (only some articles are open access) 

Journal of energy, climate, and the environment
(Washington and Lee journal of energy, climate, and the environment)
2010-2015 

Northern Climate Observer
 2017 to the present

PLOS climate  (Public Library of Science climate)
eISSN: 2767-3200  Peer Reviewed
2022 to the present

San Diego journal of climate & energy law
ISSN: 2154-9028  Peer Reviewed
2009 to the present 

Weather and climate extremes
eISSN: 2212-0947  Peer Reviewed
2013 to the present 

Weather, climate, and society
ISSN: 1948-8327  Peer Reviewed
2009 to the present (only some articles are open access)