Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) was released this month. The NCA5 describes itself as “the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the United States.”

NCA5 reports that climate change is having severe and worsening effects on California. It details that increasing temperatures have intensified drought, leading to a more arid future, while extreme heat will harm crop production and bring widespread economic impacts. Additionally, the assessment warns of unprecedented wildfires in California, driven in part by the changing climate, with high-severity wildfires expected to continue as temperatures rise, putting people and ecosystems at greater risk. The report also describes food shortages, floods, droughts, wildfires, pollution, and disease—all linked to climate change. Furthermore, the assessment emphasizes that many regional climate impacts, including extreme heat and flooding, disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.

Overall, the NCA5 underscores the urgent need for action to prevent additional heating of the planet and to adapt to the changing climate in California and the Southwest.