Scientific assessments play a critical role in translating rapidly evolving climate research into actionable knowledge for decision-makers. From the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to national, regional, sectoral, and local assessment efforts, assessments provide structured syntheses of evidence that help governments, communities, businesses, and civil society evaluate climate risks, identify response options, and make informed decisions under uncertainty. Assessments increasingly serve as a bridge between scientific understanding and practical action, supporting planning processes ranging from national adaptation strategies to community resilience and infrastructure investments.

At the same time, data systems have become foundational to assessment practice. The growing availability of observations, model outputs, socioeconomic datasets, and decision-support tools creates new opportunities for assessment, while also raising challenges related to transparency, traceability, accessibility, stewardship, and long-term usability. International data support activities underscore the importance of robust data infrastructure in enabling credible and policy-relevant assessments.

This session invites contributions on the development, application, and future of climate assessment activities across all scales. We welcome presentations from national and international assessment programs, regional and local assessment initiatives, Indigenous and community-led assessment efforts, and organizations that employ assessments to support planning and decision-making. Contributions addressing assessment methodologies, uncertainty communication, stakeholder engagement, knowledge synthesis, data stewardship, data rescue, emerging data products, and assessment-informed policy or practice are especially encouraged. The session will also highlight emerging initiatives, including efforts by scientific societies such as the American Geophysical Union’s Science Assessment Initiative, that seek to strengthen the global assessment ecosystem and accelerate the delivery of decision-relevant climate knowledge.