CAF14-100

Morning Plenary - Making History: Beginning a New Era in Climate Change

Speakers: Ken Alex, Director, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and Senior Advisor to Governor Jerry Brown; Mary Nichols, Chairman of the California Air Resources Board; Chief Ken Pimlott, Director, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; Frances Spivy-Weber, Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board

Across the state, we are dealing with the impacts of climate change from sea level rise to extreme heat- climate change is happening. The current drought and unprecedented wildfire season highlight the types of challenges we can expect to face with increasing frequency. Californians are responding – support for government action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is at an all-time high. We’ve reached a decisive tipping point where growing public awareness and unavoidable urgency for response have converged. As a state, we are collectively looking these dangers and taking proactive steps to increase our resilience. Up and down the state, in communities large and small, from coastal waters to inland valleys to soaring mountains, Californians are taking steps at every level to implement our state’s shared vision and leading the way for other states and nations around the globe. We will need to continue our record of developing increasingly innovative solutions to protect our environment, support a sustainable economy, and improve our community’s quality of life.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

CAF14-203

Working With Urban-Rural Perspectives to Create Regional Climate Resiliency

Speakers: Leslie Bryan, Watershed/Climate Stewardship Coordinator, Western Shasta Resource Conservation District; Bob Rynearson, Land Department Manager, WM Beaty and Associates; Christina Mai, Watershed Program Manager, Hydrologist, Shasta Trinity National Forest; Gwen Griffith, DVM, Program Director, Program Director, Policy and Planning, Cumberland River Compact; Curriculum Director, Climate Solutions University; MODERATOR: Minnie Sagar, Multi-media Storyteller, Meenakshi Media

Rural underserved communities of far northern California are at the forefront of addressing climate related impacts to our natural resources. Leaders in five counties are participating in adaption efforts in various stages of planning and implementation within their communities and as a region. Climate risks to the far northern region include impacts to water supply and quality, unreliability of hydroelectric power generation, shifting socioeconomic and public health concerns. The importance of rural natural infrastructure is not fully realized by the downstream urban interest receiving the ecosystem services provided. Correcting this urban-rural disconnect is crucial to identification of solutions. This session highlights implementation efforts in the far northern region and initiate a statewide dialogue about how to bridge urban-rural adaptation efforts to sustain our states most valuable water forests and related economic resources.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

CAF14-204

California Coastal Fog: An Untapped and Little-Known Water Resource?

Speakers: Ian Faloona, Ph.D, Professor, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; Alicia Torregrosa, Physical Scientist, US Geological Survey; Travis O’Brien, Research Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Earth Sciences Division; Daniel Fernandez, Professor, Division of Science and Environmental Policy, California State University, Monterey Bay; MODERATOR: Sara Moore, Consultant, North Bay Climate Adaptation Initiative, Sonoma County

Coastal California is renown for the cooling effect of its summertime fog. Less appreciated is the amount of water “stored” in the fog. As California summers grow hotter, understanding and mapping changing coastal fog will become ever more important for the wine industry, energy conservation, public land management, and many other sectors. Improved forecasting, reduced foggy day irrigation, and even fogwater harvesting may offer additional adaptation planning responses to the inexorable challenges engendered by our changing climate. However, key information is missing: existing fog patterns, data on plant stress-fog relationships, and amount of harvestable water are all still highly uncertain. In this session we expand your knowledge about fog as a system at the interface of earth, sea, and sky; moderate an audience discussion on fog-related vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies; and invite you to construct fogwater collectors to participate in the launch of a new citizen-science fog research effort.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

CAF14-106

Shaking the Couch Cushions: Understanding and Creating Funding Streams for Climate Research and Adaptation

Speakers: Ashley Conrad-Saydah, Deputy Director for Climate Policy, CalEPA; Kevin Werner, Regional Climate Services Director, National Climatic Data Center, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration; Guido Franco, Climate Change Research Lead, California Energy Commission; Randy Johnson, Ph.D., National Leader, USDA Climate Hubs; MODERATOR: Kristin Cooper-Carter, Owner, Grant Management Associates

An increasing number of local leaders are ready to take on adaptation, but funding these initiatives can be challenging. Funding for climate research and adaptation is competing against schools, police and libraries for scarce local resources. Obtaining climate research and adaptation funding can be difficult, but this session will provide you with an overview of the agencies with existing adaptation funding streams and insight into how funding is allocated. Learn about the agencies that support multi-disciplinary research assessments designed to foster the effective use of climate information for informed decision-making. If you would like to learn more about these programs, how you can participate, the goals and objectives that they are mandated to target and local funding opportunities, this session provides you with the tools and a better understanding of past funding trends and the current funding trajectory.

MP3

$10.00

$10.00

Subtotal

$40.00