The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) Companion Podcast is a limited series intended to introduce the report, showcase the perspectives of NCA5 authors and staff, and demonstrate how the Assessment can help inform decisions.

Bonus Episode! Art has the ability to capture the imagination and communicate lived experiences in profound ways. In this episode, we discuss the major art-related efforts of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) with the artists themselves. First, we are joined by the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, who reads her NCA5 poem “Startlement.” Ada discusses what artists and scientists have in common and how deeply intertwined art and science can be. 

NCA5 Director Allison Crimmins is also joined by USGCRP Senior Staff Manager Allyza Lustig for a behind the scenes look at the NCA5 Art x Climate initiative. This first-of-its-kind effort is a significant achievement of NCA5, and Allyza explains how it evolved and why, as well as the impact it had even before the NCA5 was released. We are also joined by Tammy West and Simona Clausnitzer, two of the award-winning artists, who explain their artworks and reasons for contributing to Art x Climate.

NCA5, which was released in fall 2023, is the US. Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation across the Nation. It is a congressionally mandated, interagency effort that brings together hundreds of experts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as the academic, non-profit, and private sectors.

Credits:

Producers: Chris Avery, Allison Crimmins

Host: Allison Crimmins

Editing, Mixing, and Scoring: Mallory Hinks

Additional support: Allyza Lustig, Laurie Howell, Aaron Grade, and Michael Kuperberg

Music: AudioCoffee

Cover image: Chris Avery

Poetry: Ada Limón

Financial support: NSF

This podcast is produced by the US Global Change Research Program. The perspectives shared by the participants do not represent official positions of the United States Government. All rights reserved. 

Additional links:

• Fifth National Climate Assessment: https://www.nca2023.globalchange.gov

• “Startlement”, a poem by Ada Limón for NCA5: https://nca2023.globalchange.gov/chapter/front-matter/

• Art x Climate gallery: https://www.nca2023.globalchange.gov/art-climate/

• US Global Change Research Program: https://www.globalchange.gov

• For more information on future NCA and USGCRP work, sign up for our newsletter at https://www.globalchange.gov/newsletter-signup.

• Read about Ada Limón’s poetry collaboration project with the National Park Service, “You are Here”: https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/u.s.-poet-laureate-ada-lim-n-to-publish-anthology--bring-poetry-to-national-parks-as-part-of-signatu/s/daf3ca32-cdff-49e0-9109-c2d9ba66c3b1