Steven Gray from Michigan State University has joined 175 researchers to set new priorities for U.S. climate assessments, aiming to guide future decisions on adaptation, resilience, and risk management nationwide.
Climate hazards are getting worse across the United States. Now, 175 researchers are calling for a closer look at how people and institutions actually respond to these threats. Steven Gray, a professor in Michigan State University's Department of Community Sustainability, is one of the co-authors behind a major commentary that lays out what future U.S. climate assessments should focus on. The project, published September 22, 2026, is a joint push to fill gaps in federal climate reporting and give researchers a clear path for studying risk and solutions, according to NBC News.
The commentary appears in Earth's Future and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. It launches the U.S. Climate Collection: Informing Assessment of Risks and Solutions. This is a joint effort by the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society. The goal is to support both national and local climate assessments, including those done by city governments and school districts like Farmington Public Schools. The authors make it clear: this collection is not meant to replace the National Climate Assessment. Instead, it should give a scientific base for future reviews in the U.S.
Focus on decision-making and response
Gray's work zeroes in on how people, communities, and institutions make decisions about climate adaptation, resilience, disaster management, and mitigation. The commentary covers 22 main topics, from oceans and forests to cities, rural areas, farming, public health, air quality, and energy systems. The aim is to turn climate data into a format that's ready for use by national, state, and local agencies, including emergency services in Oakland County.
The authors point out that greenhouse gas emissions are still making climate hazards worse. At the same time, extreme events and linked risks are putting pressure on old policies, infrastructure, and institutions. They say future assessments need to do more than just list risks. They should show what response strategies actually work, including how governance, knowledge, and social factors play a role. The roadmap in the commentary sets out priorities across four planetary systems, five types of environments, four economic sectors, five U.S. regions, and international interests that matter for Michigan and its cities, as detailed by the Harvard Salata Institute.
Research priorities and assessment needs
The commentary lists research needs and opportunities across planetary systems, environments, economic sectors, U.S. regions, and international interests. Key priorities include testing how well mitigation, adaptation, disaster management, climate interventions, and resilience planning work as part of a bigger climate action plan. The authors say scientific assessments must pull together complex evidence so households, businesses, and governments-including the City of Farmington and Farmington Hills-can make smart choices as climate threats grow.
Since the last U.S. National Climate Assessment in 2023, science has moved forward. Now, states, cities, and businesses are running their own assessments. The commentary says the pace of assessment and the way science is used in decision-making both need to speed up to keep up with climate impacts. This is especially true for local governments, which are being asked to update emergency plans and take part in public hearings on climate resilience. Recent City Council agendas and public notices show this shift in action.
Context for Michigan and beyond
Gray's work at Michigan State University fits into a bigger trend: bringing together scientific and community knowledge for climate adaptation and resilience planning. This is becoming more important as Michigan and other states face more frequent and severe climate events. The commentary's advice lines up with recent state efforts to tackle climate risks, like Michigan's move to manage carbon capture projects at the state level, as reported earlier.
Scientific assessments like these help guide both public and private decisions, especially as climate hazards get more complex and connected. By setting clear research priorities and stressing the need for evidence that can be used in real decisions, the new commentary raises the standard for future climate assessments. It calls for both rigor and relevance for communities facing an uncertain environmental future. Residents can keep up with local climate efforts and public meetings by checking the City of Farmington civic calendar and watching for updates from Farmington Public Schools and Oakland County emergency services.
