First National Nature Assessment (NNA1) Aims to Evaluate Global Environmental Shifts and Inform Future Strategies

Associate Chair and Professor George Hurtt has been selected as a co-author in the “Status, Trends, and Future Projections of the Drivers of Change of Nature” chapter within the First National Nature Assessment (NNA1). 

Spearheaded by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), the NNA1 aims not only to evaluate changes in nature amidst global shifts but also to explore their implications for the economy and society at large.

"It's an honor to be chosen as an author for the First National Nature Assessment," Hurtt said. “Prior assessments have provided incredibly valuable information on climate change and other topics. This report will provide the needed attention to the changes taking place in our natural systems and options for the future."

Hurtt joins over 150 experts from other universities, federal and state government, laboratories, nonprofits and businesses, covering various fields such as ecology, economics, public health, urban studies, environmental justice, agriculture and more. The University of Maryland expertise will be well-represented among the authors, with Associate Professor Jennifer Roberts in the UMD School of Public Health and Associate Professor Marccus Hendricks from the School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation also named as Assessment authors.

For the next two years, the NNA1 authors will dedicate their expertise and efforts towards crafting the Assessment, with the final report expected in late 2026. Throughout their work, the authors will engage with the public on multiple occasions, which will include soliciting public feedback on the report outline and draft. 

Established in 1990 by Congress, the USGCRP is mandated to coordinate federal research efforts and investments focused on understanding the multifaceted dynamics shaping the global environment, encompassing both human-induced and natural influences, and their implications for society. USGCRP collaborates with 15 federal member agencies to conduct research, advance understanding and inform people across the country about environmental changes.