date name of meeting 1 climate change impacts in the united states third national climate assessment...
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Date Name of Meeting 1
Climate Change Impactsin the United States
Third National Climate Assessment
May 15, 2014CascadeWater Alliance15th Anniversary
T.C. Richmond, Van Ness Feldman General Counsel for Cascade Water Alliance National Climate Assessment: Vice-Chair of Federal
Advisory Committee, author Water Resources Chapter
Paul Fleming, Seattle Public Utilities Manager of the Climate Resiliency Group National Climate Assessment: member of Federal
Advisory Committee, lead author Water Resources Chapter
Date Name of Meeting 2
Human-induced climate change has moved firmly into the present.
© D
ave Martin/AP/Corbis
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Americans are already feeling the effects of increases in some types of extreme weather and sea level rise.
© Stan H
onda/AFP/Gett
y Images
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Impacts are apparent in every region and in important sectors including health, water,
agriculture, energy, and more.©
Scott O
lson/Gett
y Images
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There are many actions we can take to reduce future climate change and its impacts and to
prepare for the impacts we can’t avoid.
©D
ennis Schroeder, NREL
©Esperanza Stancioff, U
Maine Extension and M
aine Sea Grant
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Usefulness for “the Public”Web-based and transparent “line of sight” between data and conclusions
Highly understandable language with graphics that help "tell the story"
- of the difference between climate variability and change.
- how we can tell the difference between "normal" variability and long-term trends.
- examples of the kinds of observed changes and adaptations
8 Regions addressed plus Oceans, Coasts, Urban, Rural, Land use
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Sectors• Water Resources• Energy Supply and Use• Transportation• Agriculture• Forestry• Ecosystems and
Biodiversity• Human Health
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Cross-Cuts• Water, Energy, and Land Use
• Urban Systems, Infrastructure, & Vulnerability
• Tribal, Indigenous, & Native Lands and Resources
• Land Use & Land Cover Change• Rural Communities• Biogeochemical Cycles
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Responses to Climate Change?
Decision-making support in a “risk-based” framework
Assesses progress in response activities- adaptation (preparedness) - mitigation (managing emissions of heat-trapping gases)
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Observed Temperature Change
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Projected Temperature Change
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Observed Change in Very Heavy Precipitation
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Projected Precipitation Change
by Season
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Water, Northwest and Urban Chapters Key Messages
• Water related challenges
• Coastal vulnerabilities
• Impacts on forests
• Adapting agriculture
• Increases in heavy precip, length of dry spells
• Short term droughts intensify
• Flooding may intensify
• Introduction of new risks
• Infrastructure compromised by interrelated impacts
• Climate disruptions in one system results in disruptions in other systems
• Social inequalities affect vulnerability
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Primary questions
• What does climate change mean for where you live and operate?
• What does it mean for your sector?• What are the interdependencies across
sectors that can amplify risk?
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Secondary questions
• What skill sets and information do I need to answer these questions?
• What are the best strategies to manage these risks?
• How and when do I implement these strategies?
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SPU’s climate program
Urban Drainage
Water Supply
Sea Level Rise
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Climate program objectives• enhance knowledge by engaging the
science• assess impacts and vulnerabilities• establish collaborative partnerships• strengthen institutions and people• mainstream adaptation into decision-
making• develop portfolios of approaches
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Engage science, assess vulnerabilities
• using 40 climate scenarios• climate impacts on:
– supply and operations– atmospheric rivers– forest fires– timing of fall rains– precipitation thresholds in-city
• evaluate combined effects of sea level rise + precip
• enhanced meteorological forecasting
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Establish collaborative partnershipsSeattle
Public Utilities
San Francisco Public Utilities
Commission
Metropolitan Water
District of So. California
San Diego County Water Authority
Southern NevadaWater Authority
(Vice Chair) Denver Water
Portland Water Bureau
New York City Department of
Environmental Protection
Tampa Bay Water (Chair)
Central Arizona Project
Mission: The Water Utility Climate Alliances provides leadership in assessing and adapting to the potential effects of climate change through collaborative action. We seek to enhance the usefulness of climate science for the adaptation community and improve water management decision-making in the face of climate uncertainty.
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Strengthen institutions
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Conclusions
• Treat climate change as part of risk management in decision-making
• Engage in ongoing enhance of knowledge
• Assess impacts and vulnerabilities
• Bring adaptation/resilence into decision-making
• Build collaborative partnerships
• Strengthen institutions and people
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Climate Change Impactsin the United States
Questions
Thank youPaul Fleming, Seattle Public Utilities [email protected]
T.C. Richmond, Van Ness Feldman [email protected]
NCA: http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/NCAnet: http://ncanet.usgcrp.gov/homeIndicators: http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/indicators