The Coastal and Ocean Resources Working Group for the Climate Action Team (CO-CAT)
The Coastal and Ocean Resources Working Group for the Climate Action Team (CO-CAT) is a working group comprised of senior level staff from California state agencies with ocean and coastal resource management responsibilities. CO-CAT’s task is to ensure the state’s ability to adapt to climate change impacts on ocean and coastal resources while supporting implementation of global warming emission reduction programs.
The CO-CAT is a forum for state agencies to share information and coordinate on actions, including to implement the ocean and coastal resources chapter of the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy.
CO-CAT also develops guidance on sea-level rise. On April of 2013, an update to the State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance Document was complete. This SLR Guidance provides information and recommendations to enhance consistency across agencies in their development of approaches to sea-level rise. The updated SLR Guidance incorporates new information presented in the National Academy of Sciences report on Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington released June 2012. For more background on the update to the SLR Guidance document, please click here.
CO-CAT membership includes staff from the following agencies:
- Business, Transportation and Housing Agency,
- Coastal Commission,
- Department of Fish and Game,
- Department of Parks and Recreation,
- Department of Public Health,
- Department of Toxic Substances Control,
- Department of Transportation,
- Department of Water Resources,
- Environmental Protection Agency,
- Governor’s Office of Planning and Research,
- Natural Resources Agency,
- Ocean Protection Council,
- Ocean Science Trust,
- San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission,
- State Coastal Conservancy,
- State Lands Commission, and
- State Water Resources Control Board.
Based on the Sea-Level Rise Resolution that the OPC adopted on March 11, 2011, the OPC will provide ongoing coordination with the OPC Science Advisory Team and the CO-CAT to support regular updates to guidance on sea-level rise based upon current scientific understanding and projections.
Related Links:
- 2013 State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance Document
- 2012 National Academy of Sciences report on Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington
- State of California Climate Change Portal
- OPC Climate Change web page
