Third Decadal U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan to be released for comment
Co-chairs of the Third Decadal U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan Draft are planning to seek public comment on the new document at the 2025 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Developed and published by the community, the new report, like those that preceded it, will provide a road map to highlight priorities to advance carbon cycle science, inform solutions, and explore opportunities for investment and engagement by U.S. funding agencies, non-profit organizations, private industry partners, and other stakeholders over the next decade.
Left to right: Leticia Barbero; Abhishek Chatterjee; Eric Sundquis; and Maria Tzortziou
The Co-chairs include:
- Leticia Barbero, University of Miami and NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
- Abhishek Chatterjee, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Eric Sundquist, Scientist Emeritus, United States Geological Survey
- Maria Tzortziou, City College, City University of New York and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Brooklyn Poutra, program specialist with UCAR | CPAESS
Credit: Brooklyn Poutra
Brooklyn Poutra, program specialist with UCAR | Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), is providing coordination, management, and logistical services for the team of about 25 experts.
“They are all experts in their fields representing the atmosphere, oceans, and land as well as carbon reservoirs like vegetation, soils, and fossil fuels,” said Poutra.
The U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program (US CCSP) is hosted by the UCAR | CPAESS Carbon Cycle Science Project Office (CCSPO). UCAR provides a hub for community discussion and action and provides national leadership across academia, government labs, and the private sector.
The First U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan was published in 1999, and the second, in 2011. Together, the plans have influenced the direction and priorities of carbon cycle science research and funding in the U.S. over the last 25 years.
In addition to the 2025 AGU Annual Meeting, there will be opportunities for input on the Third Decadal U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan Draft at the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting in January 2026 and the Ocean Sciences Meeting in February 2026.
The committee welcomes input and comment from the scientific community.
