A recent report completed for NOAA by the Center for Earth and Space Science Education (/Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century/) found that Earth system science education in the United States is in need of significant improvement. The report finds that there is great variation in how states incorporate modern Earth and climate science into their science standards. Through a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Project 2061 we have collaborated to define climate literacy and develop weather and climate benchmarks for science literacy. The newly developed and revised national weather and climate science education standards were published in March of 2007 in the AAAS Project 2061 Atlas for Science Literacy volume II served as a basis for the climate literacy effort. This session will present the results of these projects as well as the publication of the AAAS "An Abbreviated Guide for Teaching Climate Change." The Climate Literacy effort is working in parallel with the Ocean Literacy effort has developed Climate Literacy essential principles and fundamental concepts using the AAAS Project 2061 Atlas of Science. The development team included representatives from federal science agencies, formal and informal educators, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions involved with climate research, education, and outreach. This effort resulted in a guide that can be used to engage the broad community to develop a robust conceptual framework that addresses the essential principles and fundamental concepts that climate literate citizens and students should know. That document has been reviewed and commented on during several rounds and will be available during the conference. The Climate Literacy essential principles and fundamental concepts are available at: http://www.climate.noaa.gov/education/.