In case you missed it, Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hosted a Livestream Roundtable Discussion on Climate on July 22, 2021. The discussion highlighted climate science research, ranging from wildfire impacts in ecosystems to modeling the impacts of climate change on people and communities.

In addition to Secretary Granholm, the roundtable featured Kate Calvin of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, lead PI for Earth and Environmental Systems Modeling’s Global Change Intersectoral Modeling System (GCIMS), and co-lead of the Biogeochemistry Core Group of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) Scientific Focus Areas.

“The climate is warming, and with increasing temperatures, there are consequences for people,” says Calvin. “We see increases in wildfires, flooding, droughts, and crop yields, and our energy system. So, we are continually working to improve these (Earth system) models and understand the effect on communities.”

Other speakers included:

• Jane Lubchenco, Deputy Director for Climate and Environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy;
• Nicki Hickmon, Argonne National Laboratory, and Associate Director for Operations for DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility; and
• Margaret Torn, Senior Advisor in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division (CESD) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Earth & Environmental Sciences Area. She leads Berkeley Lab’s AmeriFlux Management Project that measures ecosystem carbon dioxide, water, and energy fluxes in North, Central, and South America.