This free day-long town hall meeting will bring together approximately 100 climate change experts and users of climate change information, including participants from academia; local, state, tribal, and federal governments; non-profit organizations; and business and industry. Participants in the town hall will have the opportunity to:

-- Learn about the National Climate Assessment and the process leading to the 2013 National Climate Assessment Report.

-- Talk with report authors, members of the National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee, and National Climate Assessment staff about how the information provided in National Climate Assessment products is and can be used in various decision making contexts

-- Learn about local and regional efforts to respond to the impacts of climate change in the Midwest

-- Collaborate with other meeting participants to identify ways that you and your community can participate in the long-term National Climate Assessment process

-- Collaborate with other meeting participants to identify ways that you and your community can participate in the long-term National Climate Assessment process

A primary goal for the National Climate Assessment is to establish permanent assessment capacity both inside and outside of the federal government. Building on two previous National Climate Assessment Reports (2000 and 2009), the US Global Change Research Program has established the National Climate Assessment as an ongoing process that engages people and organizations across the country in creating and maintaining the information infrastructure needed to conduct sustained assessments that improve the our country’s ability to understand, anticipate, and respond to climate change impacts and vulnerabilities.

The town hall will consist of both plenary panels and small group discussion. During the plenary session, National Climate Assessment authors and staff will provide an overview of the National Climate Assessment process, present preliminary findings from the Draft 2013 National Climate Assessment Report, and explain how members of the public may comment on the Draft Report. Additional speakers will highlight local and regional efforts to assess and respond to the challenges of climate change, and will explore the ways in which efforts in the Midwest are linked to the National Climate Assessment. During the small group discussion time, you will have an opportunity share your own expertise and insights related to climate, assessments, and decision making in the context of climate change, and to suggest and plan pathways to build sustained assessment capacity in the Midwest.

Confirmed speakers for the National Climate Assessment Midwest Regional Town Hall include:

-- Rosina Bierbaum, Convening Lead Author for Adaptation chapter in the Third NCA Report; National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee; Professor and Former Dean, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment

-- Julie Winkler, Convening Lead Author for Midwest Technical Input Report; Professor, Michigan State University Department of Geography

-- Melinda Koslow, National Wildlife Federation

There is no charge for this meeting, but space is limited, so please register soon.