California 2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy

Governor Schwarzenegger Releases First-Of-Its-Kind Comprehensive Climate Strategy, Announces Climate Adaptation Advisory Panel And Unveils Google-Earth Based Applications to Show Climate Change Risks

California's Climate Adaptation Strategy (CAS) final report, a first-of-its-kind comprehensive, multi-sector analysis will enhance the state's management of climate impacts from sea level rise, increased temperatures, shifting precipitation and extreme natural events.  The CAS final report summarizes the latest science on how climate change could impact the state and provides recommendations on how to manage against those threats. It focuses on seven different sectors – public health, biodiversity and habitat, ocean and coastal resources, water management, agriculture, forestry, and transportation and energy infrastructure - and lays out several recommendations focused on reducing climate risks to people, the environment and infrastructure.

The CAS report and recommendations can be found on the state's climate change portal at www.climatechange.ca.gov <http://www.climatechange.ca.gov> .

The creation of the Climate Adaptation Advisory Panel, in partnership with the Pacific Council on International Relations, will further assess California's climate change risks and help develop a set of independent adaptation recommendations to implement CAS: 

-The independent, non- partisan group will build off the CAS final report focusing on three key hazards that are most likely to have increasing impact on California as the climate changes 

-These include increased wildfires and extended fire seasons, rising sea levels along 1,100 miles of coastline and reduced availability of water with reduced snow pack in the Sierras and extended periods of drought

-The panel, made up of 23 prominent business, labor, government and private sector leaders, will develop recommendations for consideration by the Governor and his administration, the Legislature and other stakeholders in July 2010

Additionally, the Governor unveiled two new Google-Earth based applications that will allow Californians to see the risks of climate change impacts in their communities:

-Setting the standard for displaying and transferring climate change information, the Cal-Adapt prototype application will allow users to explore the risks of global warming in California and help make better-informed localized adaptation decisions

-Funded by the California Energy Commission and Google.org, the Stockholm Environmental Institute has also developed a Web site using the Google-Earth platform to display an interactive tour on climate change 

-Users can access these Google-Earth based applications through visiting the state's climate change portal at www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation <http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation>

Background:

-Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-13-08 <http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/11035/> in November 2008, which directed the Natural Resources Agency to identify how state agencies can respond to rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, sea level rise, and extreme natural events associated with climate change

-The Natural Resources Agency has worked with state agencies (California Emergency Management Agency; California Environmental Protection Agency; Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; Health and Human Services Agency; California Office of Information Security and the California Department of Food and Agriculture) during the last two years to develop the CAS