On Tuesday, February 12th, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will hold a full Committee hearing entitled "The State of Climate Science and Why it Matters." The purpose of this hearing is to provide a big-picture assessment of the current state of climate science. The Committee will receive expert testimony on recently published significant climate reports and discuss report findings that include the physical mechanisms of climate change, risks to human society at different levels of warming, and the need for adaptation and mitigation.