The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is calling for increased climate change collaboration. DWR is encouraging more cooperation between federal, state, and local governments in their efforts to address climate change. As part of the underlying effort to mitigate the impact of climate change, DWR released the “Moving to Action” plan last month. The move aligns with Governor Gavin Newsom’s goals of addressing natural resource concerns through his executive order to establish a Water Resilience Portfolio.
The “Moving to Action” plan emphasizes two areas that DWR has determined will further the efforts detailed in the Portfolio. The focus points were arrived upon during last year’s Planning for Change summit allowed for open discussion between water managers and policymakers. Developing data, tools, and other guidance for watershed-based climate vulnerability and adaptation analyses is one of the key points in the plan. DWR notes it could help address this need through the development of a means for evaluating climate vulnerability and risk. The framework would also include a method for tracking the progress of climate change adaptation.
The second key component of the plan is to explore the formation of a California-based network of climate scientists and water management practitioners. Developers of the plan believe that a climate change network could help inspire more collaboration between researchers. The network could serve as a central point of information that can be used for better decision-making. DWR could play a central role in organizing informational events and evaluate supportive resources for further climate study.
Local authorities are going to need more comprehensive tools for addressing the impact that climate change has on their communities. DWR notes that increasing climate change collaboration will expedite the development of appropriate solutions. A better understanding of the impact climate change is having is a crucial component of mitigating adverse effects on the environment as well as public health and safety.
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