Climate Change Adaptation Planning

We are working with agency partners and scientific experts to update and implement state guidance that supports climate change adaptation and builds resilience.

USING SCIENCE TO SUPPORT ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE

California’s policy-makers, planners and managers are faced with present-day climate stressors and the prospect of future change. At Ocean Science Trust, we are facilitating access to science that supports climate adaptation and resilience in coastal and ocean areas. In collaboration with our agency partners, we are identifying and addressing the information needs of agencies adapting to climate change, to ensure that decision-makers have access to useful and reliable science.

AN ACTION PLAN FOR COASTAL AND OCEAN ADAPTATION

California has developed strategies and guidance to support climate change adaptation at multiple levels of government. Safeguarding California: Reducing Climate Risk updates the state’s 2009 Adaptation Strategy and presents priority actions for protecting coastal communities and ecosystems and resources from climate risks.

We are working alongside the Ocean Protection Council to develop an Action Plan that operationalizes the recommendations put forth in Safeguarding California. This includes capturing state agencies’ shared goals related to coastal and ocean adaptation and resilience, identifying actions that agencies can take over the next few years to move toward achievement of these shared goals, and determining opportunities to improve cooperation and collaboration among coastal and ocean agencies in these efforts.

UPDATING SEA-LEVEL RISE GUIDANCE WITH NEW SCIENCE

To promote consistency in planning for sea-level rise across the state, California developed the State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance Document. This document incorporates best available science for sea-level rise, and helps state agencies and non-state entities incorporate future sea level rise impacts into planning and decision-making.

We are working closely with our agency partners to develop a process for integrating scientific advances into the State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance Document. To do this effectively, we are working to understand and identify the evolving science needs of state agencies around sea-level rise, and establishing priorities for future sea-level rise research based on those needs.

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