FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on the Science of Climate Change Impacts

Original title: THE SCIENCE BEHIND IMPACTS OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS

January 1, 2021

climate change extreme weather science policy environmental research

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal record of scientific testimony that informs future federal environmental policy, research funding, and disaster preparedness strategies.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

The committee is responsible for gathering information to guide legislative action on climate and science policy.

General Public

The information presented informs federal policy decisions that may impact disaster response and environmental regulations.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a virtual hearing on March 12, 2021, to examine scientific evidence regarding the impacts of climate change. The session featured testimony from four climate experts and addressed the increasing frequency of billion-dollar weather disasters.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on March 12, 2021, via Webex.
NOAA reported 22 separate weather and climate disasters in 2020 that each exceeded $1 billion in damages.
The 2020 calendar year included the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.
The hearing was the first climate change-focused session for the Committee in the 117th Congress.
The committee received written and oral testimony from four academic and research experts.
The record includes post-hearing questions and answers from the witnesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

To review the scientific evidence regarding the impacts of climate change and discuss recent extreme weather events.

Who testified at the hearing?

Experts from Princeton University, The Breakthrough Institute, Stanford University, and the University of Rhode Island.

Why It Matters

This hearing serves as a formal record of scientific testimony that informs future federal environmental policy, research funding, and disaster preparedness strategies.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Billion-Dollar Disasters

The committee explicitly used NOAA's $1 billion disaster threshold as a primary metric for framing the urgency of climate change impacts.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Connected Entities

personNoah S. Diffenbaugh“Witness, Professor at Stanford University”Map →

organizationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration“Source of data regarding 2020 weather disasters”Map →

personZeke Hausfather“Witness, Director of Climate and Energy at The Breakthrough Institute”Map →

personEddie Bernice Johnson“Chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology”Map →

personFrank Lucas“Ranking Member of the Committee”Map →

personPaula S. Bontempi“Witness, Dean at the University of Rhode Island”Map →

personMichael Oppenheimer“Witness, Professor at Princeton University”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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