SW-NCA-color-FINALweb

ContentsAcknowledgementsAbbreviations and AcronymsixxiChapter 1: Summary for Decision Makers 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Observed Recent Climatic Change in the Southwest 31.3 Projected Future Climatic Change in the Southwest 51.4 Recent and Future Effects of Climatic Change in the Southwest 6Terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems 6Coastal systems 10Water 12Human health 14Additional effects of climate change 141.5 Choices for Adjusting to Climate and Climate Change 151.6 Key Unknowns 19References 19contextChapter 2: Overview 212.1 Introduction 21What is an assessment? 222.2 Context and Scope 232.3 Other Southwest Region Climate Assessments 252.4 Sponsors and Authors of this Report 272.5 Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainty 292.6 Accountability and Review 302.7 Organization of This Report 31References 34Chapter 3: The Changing Southwest 373.1 Lay of the Land: Geographical Themes and Features 38Natural features 38Human geography 41Public lands 42Population 43Natural resource economy 453.2 Land Use and Land Cover 46Trends for urban and exurban development 49References 53Appendix 53