Transcript presentation - Cascade Water Alliance

Third National Climate Assessment
Climate Change Impacts
in the United States
May 15, 2014
Cascade
Water
Alliance
15th Anniversary
Paul Fleming, Seattle Public Utilities
 Manager of the Climate Resiliency Group
 National Climate Assessment: member of Federal
Advisory Committee, lead author Water Resources Chapter
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Name of Meeting
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
1
Human-induced climate change has
moved firmly into the present.
© Dave Martin/AP/Corbis
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2
Americans are already feeling the
effects of increases in some types of
extreme weather and sea level rise.
© Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
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3
Impacts are apparent in every region and in
important sectors including health, water,
agriculture, energy, and more.
© Scott Olson/Getty Images
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4
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.
©Esperanza Stancioff, UMaine Extension and Maine Sea Grant
©Dennis Schroeder, NREL
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Web-based and transparent “line of
sight” between data and conclusions
Usefulness for “the Public”
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 longterm trends.
- examples of the kinds of observed
changes and adaptations
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8 Regions addressed
plus Oceans, Coasts, Urban, Rural, Land use
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Sectors
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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
• Increases in heavy
precip, length of
dry spells
• Short term
droughts intensify
• Flooding may
intensify
• Introduction of
new risks
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• Water related • Infrastructure
compromised by
challenges
interrelated
• Coastal
impacts
vulnerabilities • Climate disruptions
in one system
• Impacts on
results in
forests
disruptions in other
• Adapting
systems
agriculture
• Social inequalities
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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
Water Supply
Urban Drainage
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 decisionmaking
• develop portfolios of approaches
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Engage science, assess vulnerabilities
• using 40 climate scenarios
• climate impacts on:
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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 partnerships
Seattle
Public Utilities
Portland
Water Bureau
San Francisco
Public Utilities
Commission
Southern Nevada
Water Authority
(Vice Chair)
Metropolitan
Water
New York City
Denver
Water
Department of
Environmental
Protection
Central Arizona
District of
So. California
Project
San Diego
County Water Authority
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
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climate uncertainty.Date
Tampa Bay
Water (Chair)
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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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Questions
Climate Change Impacts
in the United States
Thank you
Paul Fleming, Seattle Public Utilities
[email protected]
T.C. Richmond, Van Ness Feldman
[email protected]
NCA: http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/
NCAnet: http://ncanet.usgcrp.gov/home
Indicators: http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/indicators
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