The U.S. Global Change Research Program just published a draft report, "Climate Change Impacts in the United States," which has gotten a lot of attention. The report blames human activity on climate change and warns of increasing erratic weather, damage to food supplies, and more warming conditions.

To help people understand the main points of the 829-page, 174 MG document, the authors provide a "Highlights" page on the Global Change website. But the highlights are still more than the average person will read.

The website also offers an online version of the full report, organized around the following topics:

• Our Changing Climate
• Sectors
• Regions
• Response Strategies

The report is referred to as a draft version. Will the final be even longer?

In another attempt to help us understand the data, this Washington Post article highlights 15 graphics.

Discussion Starters:

• Does the length of the report matter? Who are the audiences, and how do you think each constituency would, if at all, read the report?
• What principles from Chapter 10, Writing the Report, does this report follow? Consider the organization, visuals, writing style, and so on.
• Compare this report to another recently published: "Not Alone: The First Report of the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault." What differences and similarities do you see, and what could account for them?