The California Natural Resources Agency, working through the Climate Action Team (CAT), is developing the 2012 Climate Adaptation Strategy. This resource will outline proactive steps to take now to protect public health and safety, infrastructure and the economy, and California’s unique natural environment in the face of climate change. The 2012 Climate Adaptation Strategy will include chapters on agriculture, biodiversity, forestry, land use and infrastructure, public health, transportation, energy, emergency preparedness, fresh water, and ocean and coastal resources but will also highlight various cross-cutting recommendations geared toward reducing risk and investing in a climate safe California. This forthcoming resource will be an update to the 2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy.

The 2012 Adaptation Strategy is being developed with the input of various state agencies, boards and commissions who are working through various sector-specific working groups of the CA Climate Action Team. This update will include more cross-cutting recommendations, and work toward greater integration of the sectors, as well as provide regional and local-level recommendations.

The Coastal and Ocean Working Group of the California Climate Action Team (CO-CAT), comprised of over 16 state agencies, is developing the coastal and ocean chapter of the 2012 Adaptation Strategy.  The scoping outline of the coastal and ocean chapter is intended to identify topics that will be addressed in the chapter and to engage the public in a discussion of the issues that should be addressed in this chapter.

A conference call was be held on Thursday, July 12^th, from 10am to 12pm to brief the public, answer questions, and receive comments on the draft outline.

The public also had an opportunity to provide comments on the scoping outline until close of business on Friday, July 20^th by emailing coastalclimate@resources.ca.gov. Public comment received can be found here. A draft of the full 2012 Climate Adaptation Strategy will be available for public comment in early fall, along with specific opportunities to comment on the coastal and ocean chapter. A final version is expected at the end of this year.

For more information on the State’s actions to prepare for climate change, please visit the California Climate Change Portal. For OPC-specific information on climate change and sea level rise, please visit our Climate Change page.

 

• Keep up with the Climate Adaptation Strategy: The “adaptation” ListServ email list, maintained by the California Energy Commission, will be used to announce CAS public meetings and milestones. If you wish to be added to the list, or modify your subscription, please click here.