West Coast West Coast

Global Warming InitiativeGlobal Warming Initiative

West Coast Governors’ Global Warming InitiativeWest Coast Governors’ Global Warming Initiative

Oregon, Washington, CaliforniaOregon, Washington, California Start: Governors’ Directive, Sep 22, 2003 Start: Governors’ Directive, Sep 22, 2003 Process: Executive Committee, Working Groups Process: Executive Committee, Working Groups Complete: Staff recommendations, Nov 2004Complete: Staff recommendations, Nov 2004

Report at: http://www.ef.org/westcoastclimate/Report at: http://www.ef.org/westcoastclimate/

West Coast Governors’ Global Warming InitiativeWest Coast Governors’ Global Warming Initiative

MissionMission

To work regionally and within To work regionally and within each state to reduce greenhouse each state to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions below current levelsgas emissions below current levels.

World’s Top 10 CO2 Emitters:

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Share of World CO2 Emissions (2000)

United States

China

Russia

Japan

India

Germany

Canada

UK

Italy

South Korea

Sources: UCS, EIA, EPA, CEC, NESCAUM

West Coast States

States are players

West Coast Governors’ Global West Coast Governors’ Global Warming InitiativeWarming Initiative

Started in Sept. 2003 by Govs Locke, Started in Sept. 2003 by Govs Locke, Kulongoski and Davis.Kulongoski and Davis.

Schwarzenegger supports.Schwarzenegger supports.

West Coast Governors’ Global Warming InitiativeWest Coast Governors’ Global Warming InitiativeThe Benefits of ActingThe Benefits of Acting

Energy dollars stay at home, not exported Energy dollars stay at home, not exported Hedge against oil and nat gas price spikesHedge against oil and nat gas price spikes Potentially lower energy costs. Potentially lower energy costs. Clean energy can stimulate economic Clean energy can stimulate economic

development development Opportunities for leadership in energy tech. Opportunities for leadership in energy tech. Env benefits, esp: water supply, snowpack.Env benefits, esp: water supply, snowpack. Reduce potential of significant health costs.Reduce potential of significant health costs.

Directed staff to develop joint policy Directed staff to develop joint policy recommendations on:recommendations on:

Fuel-efficient vehicles for motor pool fleets.Fuel-efficient vehicles for motor pool fleets.

Reduce diesel emissions from trucks and marine vessels.Reduce diesel emissions from trucks and marine vessels.

Remove barriers to development of renewable electricity generation Remove barriers to development of renewable electricity generation resources and technologies.resources and technologies.

Improve efficiency standards of appliances and products.Improve efficiency standards of appliances and products.

Develop ghg emission inventories and reporting protocols and Develop ghg emission inventories and reporting protocols and collaborate on scientific tools to measure the impact of climate change.collaborate on scientific tools to measure the impact of climate change.

Gov. Schwarzenegger asked for the addition of the issue hydrogen vehicles.

The recommendations from staff The recommendations from staff included:included:

Set new targets for improvement in performance in Set new targets for improvement in performance in average annual state fleet ghg emissions.average annual state fleet ghg emissions.

Collaborate on the purchase of hybrid vehicles.Collaborate on the purchase of hybrid vehicles. Establish a plan for the deployment of electrification Establish a plan for the deployment of electrification

technologies at truck stops in each state on the I-5 corridor, technologies at truck stops in each state on the I-5 corridor, on the outskirts of major urban areas, and on other major on the outskirts of major urban areas, and on other major interstate routes.interstate routes.

Set goals and implement strategies and incentives to Set goals and implement strategies and incentives to increase retail energy sales from renewable resources by increase retail energy sales from renewable resources by one percent or more annually in each state through 2015.one percent or more annually in each state through 2015.

Staff Recommendations – cont.Staff Recommendations – cont.

Adopt energy efficiency standards for eight to 14 products Adopt energy efficiency standards for eight to 14 products not regulated by the federal government, establishing a not regulated by the federal government, establishing a cost-effective efficiency threshold for all products sold on cost-effective efficiency threshold for all products sold on the West Coast.the West Coast.

Incorporate aggressive energy efficiency measures into Incorporate aggressive energy efficiency measures into updates of state building energy codes, with a goal of updates of state building energy codes, with a goal of achieving at least 15 percent cumulative savings by 2015 achieving at least 15 percent cumulative savings by 2015 in each state.in each state.

Organize a West Coast Governors’ conference in 2005 to Organize a West Coast Governors’ conference in 2005 to inform policy makers and the public of climate change inform policy makers and the public of climate change research concerning the West Coast states.research concerning the West Coast states.

The staff also recommended that the Governors The staff also recommended that the Governors should give consideration to four additional actions:should give consideration to four additional actions:

Adopt comprehensive state and regional goals for Adopt comprehensive state and regional goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions.greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Adopt standards to reduce greenhouse gas Adopt standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.emissions from vehicles.

Develop a regional market-based carbon Develop a regional market-based carbon allowance program.allowance program.

Expand the markets for efficiency, renewable Expand the markets for efficiency, renewable energy, and alternative fuels.energy, and alternative fuels.

Defining “Planning for Climate Change”Defining “Planning for Climate Change”

Planning for climate change involves developing the Planning for climate change involves developing the capacity to effectively manage the impacts of climate capacity to effectively manage the impacts of climate variability and change variability and change (i.e., developing adaptive (i.e., developing adaptive capacity).capacity).

Planning strives to minimize the negative impacts Planning strives to minimize the negative impacts associated with projected climate change (e.g., increased associated with projected climate change (e.g., increased winter flooding) while maximizing the positive impacts (e.g., winter flooding) while maximizing the positive impacts (e.g., increased storage capacity)increased storage capacity)

Courtesy UW Climate Group, Palmer-WhitelyCourtesy UW Climate Group, Palmer-Whitely

Climate change is a global scale issue, but the impacts are local. Many local resource-based planning activities potentially affected by climate change

Local govts have significant impact on long-term community development and hazard mitigation; can influence degree of vulnerability to impacts

Policy innovation most often occurs at the state and local level. Planning allows for innovation rather than waiting for prescriptive fixes.

What is the Role of Local Govt in Planning for Climate Change?

Examples of Planning Opportunities:

Water Quantity Allocations. Watershed Planning. Land Use Planning – Flood Zones and

Shorelines. Transportation Planning.

Monday, August 15, 2005

New sea wall may fall short as water rises, report says

Global warming and rising water levels could force Seattle to build its new Elliott Bay sea wall higher than expected. Could its cost also exceed the current $500 million estimate?

A Seattle Transportation Department official said probably not, but a city auditor's report released last week raises the question. It suggests that a new sea wall might have to be built higher to accommodate rising sea levels and coastal flooding caused by climate change.

"Design standards for the Alaskan Way sea wall replacement appropriately recognize that sea level will increase during the 21st century," the report said.

"However, sea-level projections from the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group suggest that the city's current design standards for the new sea wall may not adequately account for the potential projected rise in sea level.“

A city consultant said the design of the replacement for the 1.9-mile wall "should accommodate a 0.9-foot rise in sea level over a 75-year period," while the UW group estimated the rise would be 1 foot to 2.8 feet.

Next StepsNext Steps

Two Scientific Conferences:Two Scientific Conferences: September 14-16 in SacramentoSeptember 14-16 in Sacramento

For more info: www.climatechange.ca.gov/events/2005_conference/index.htmlFor more info: www.climatechange.ca.gov/events/2005_conference/index.html

October 27 in Seattle. October 27 in Seattle. For more info: www.metrokc.gov/climateconference2005For more info: www.metrokc.gov/climateconference2005

Focus on science of climate change and how Focus on science of climate change and how policy decisions should incorporate scientific policy decisions should incorporate scientific findings.findings.