What is the Value of Climate R&D?

By Climate Research and Development Program

"Information is vital for restoration and fire planning, and environmental compliance.”

~ Partner testimonial from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

"Our partners reference this work on a nearly weekly basis across our conservation planning, ecosystem science, policy, and education departments."

~ Partner testimonial from non-profit wildfire organization

"Products have, for ~30 years. . . enabled verification [and] evaluation of climate model simulations."

~ Academic partner testimonial about paleoclimate data

"Opportunities, to work in a USGS lab, are truly impactful for my undergraduate students."

~ Partner testimonial of STEM engagement

The value of scientific research can be measured in many ways. Be that through monetary worth, priceless partnerships and collaborations, or by the impacts and changes to the world that come from it. Here we explore the value of the Climate Research & Development Program.

It can be hard to assess the value of scientific research. For the scientist, the quest for knowledge, to understand something inside and out, is simultaneously the thrill of the process and the end goal. But this is different from the value of the research findings to others. One way to assess the value of research is to determine how research and models developed by program scientists help our partners.

Climate R&D Program scientists work with many partners, be that through long-standing, place-based research sites with the National Parks Service, relationships with Indigenous Communities to weave together Indigenous Knowledge and western science data to answer their management needs, or communication with State and Local governments to supply data and findings that directly impact policy making. Fundamental to USGS mission as the science arm of Department of the Interior (DOI), the Program supports many partners including:

Other DOI bureaus including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish & Wildlife Service
Other Federal agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Forest Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
State Governments
Tribal Governments
Local Governments
Academic Institutions
Non-profit Organizations
International Organizations

Below, we’ve highlighted a couple of examples of projects where program scientists are working hand-in-hand with our partners. Click on the image card to learn about the partnerships!

Federal, State, and Industry Partnership

Federal, Tribal, and Academic Relationship

Federal, Academic, and International Expedition

But how better to understand the value of the Program research than from the partners themselves! Here are a few testimonial statements from partners that help reinforce how valuable program science is to them via data, education, and outreach:

“Information [from the program research] is vital for restoration and fire planning, and environmental compliance.”

Information [from program scientists] provide[d] is debatably the most relevant and appreciated of the training

“Ducks Unlimited and our partners reference this work on nearly a weekly basis across our conservation planning, ecosystem science, policy, and education departments.”

“USGS products have, for ~30 years provided the necessary geological boundary conditions required to run climate model experiments for the Pliocene, and enabled verification/evaluation of climate model simulations.”

“The USGS Pliocene group is instrumental for their expertise of the environmental data needed for assessing and understanding the simulated regional changes for the Late Pliocene, and as a result providing implications for possible future regional changes.”

“These opportunities, to work in a USGS lab, are truly impactful for my undergraduate students. These experiences demonstrate to them the possibilities of research careers, emphasize the importance of science, and highlight the importance of science as a collaborative endeavor.”